Entertain the Pain
by UnloveTrack
Summary: Julia wondered how her life had gotten this dangerous, it was probably around the same time she found out that she had a drug dealer on speed dial. Jack Mercer remembers the sweet girl Julia was and asks himself how he could bring her into this situation.
1. Chapter 1

The chain link fence clanked loudly, blending in beautifully with an involuntary cry of anguish as a body crashed into it and a hand gripped tightly to keep from falling. Another fist pounded hard into the left side of their head and the tight grip on the cool metal of the fence was released as the body was thrown sideways to the ground.

The ground was as cold and unforgiving as Detroit itself. Things weren't looking to good for the young girl as her attacker administered blow after blow to her ribs. Some kicks were enough to lift her into the air and each one sent her flying into the chain fence behind her. Each crash of her body elicited the clanking of the fence and a sharp cry that wouldn't be held in. No matter how hard she bit her lip to keep from crying out, small noises of pain escaped. He momentarily paused when he heard the telltale crack of a broken bone and his victim suddenly gasped for breath and began to pant and whimper.

"Don't forget what I told you, bitch!" The assailant warned, sending the young girl one last kick to the lower stomach before he ran into the night. Tears of pain had been pooling in her eyes on and off for duration of the attack. She had breathed her way through the pain like her mother had taught her to do, and now being left alone on the ground with a possibly broken rib; she allowed the tears to fall.

Sobs wracked through her body, only administering more pain. She tried to stifle them and master her pain so as to not inadvertently inflict anymore on herself than needed to be. She knew that getting up again was going to be a challenge and a painful one at that. She didn't want to even think about trying to walk to where she knew she had to go. This wasn't just some random attack, but in Detroit things like that aren't uncommon, that man had a reason for bringing this seemingly innocent girl harm.

That didn't mean that she wasn't going to lie here for as long as possible until she was in control of herself. It wouldn't do any good for her to be a right mess when she finally arrived. She knew that her appearance was going to bring hundreds of complications and she needed to prepare mentally for a mental showdown between herself and the holder of her heart.

As she experimented with different breathing patterns (to find the least painful one) she thought about how her life had become so dangerous. She came to the conclusion that it was around the same time that she programmed a drug dealer on her speed dial. This drug dealer just happened to be her boyfriend and he was essentially the reason that she had just been pounded against a fence for the past fifteen minutes. Of course the assault had felt like it had lasted a lot longer than that.

The girl rolled onto her stomach and grimaced as pain shot through her body in convulsions. With a steadying breath she pressed her palms flat against the icy ground and proceeded to push herself onto her knees. The small effort set her back to square one, a mess of tears and gasps for breath. After a brief resting she hooked her fingers into the fence and pulled herself up with her arms while pushing with her feet until she stood hunched over. She leaned heavily on the fence and gently ghosted her fingers over her stomach only to cringe from the waves of pain that crashed down on her.

_Touching wasn't such a great idea_, she thought to herself as she attempted to stand up straight. Groans became the soundtrack to the once stagnant noise of the cold Detroit night. Resolutely she put one foot in front of the other and slowly descended the stairs. Each step bought a new onslaught of pain and tears as her body shook from impact. Her legs were trembling, the muscles straining under her weight. She knew that they would be decorated with an array of different bruises, both in size and in color. The slight breeze felt like sharp needles prodding at her sodden cheeks.

On her hour and a half long endeavour she saw all that Detroit had to offer. Gangs were haunting the streets; the sight of their unsheathed guns didn't faze her whatsoever. They called out to her and probably made some obscene comments about her mother but she completely blocked it all out. She was a girl with a purpose; to deliver a warning.

When the African American boy had approached her at the park she had immediately felt uneasy. It had nothing to do with racial discrimination but the question he asked her.

"Hey, you hang around with that Mercer kid, don't you?" There was a chilling threat hidden underneath his light and friendly demeanour. He was trying to act as if they had been old friends, completely at ease with a smile that should have been meant to make her feel welcome and familiar with him. She gave a hesitant nod, not wanting to let her paranoia border on rudeness. "Hey next time you see him can you give him a message from me?"

The moment he said that, she knew that she was in deep shit. His eyes told her that this wasn't the kind of message that was relayed verbally. She was going to be the message. Survival instinct kicked in and she attempted to run, she didn't make it too far before he grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her into the fence. He pulled her face back and slammed it into the fence once and revelled in the sound the fence made.

"You tell your boy that he's in deep shit. He fucked up! He better fix it and fucking pay up quick, before innocent people get hurt." His mouth was pressed to her ear and his warm breath made her recoil though she had no room to move at all. He kicked the back of her legs swiftly and twisted her arm behind her; he then turned her to face him with her arm pressed between her back and the fence.

The possible sprained wrist wasn't even a thought compared to her other injuries. The cold air had soothed the cut she had acquired when he had smashed her head in the fence. She wasn't sure how much blood there was and she didn't care to investigate.

She passed by bar after bar, processions of sober and drunk people passed through the doors and none asked her if she was alright. In Detroit it's every man for themselves, regardless if that man was actually a teenage girl considered a child by society. Cop cars drove by idly and none offered assistance, people watched through their windows and no one asked her if she was going to be okay. The most attention she received was from a girl not much older than herself near the bus depot.

"Hey honey, do you know where a working girl could make some money?" She asked softly.

"No, sorry," she lied. She knew where this young girl could make some money. She wasn't sorry at all; she was doing this girl a favour.

The relief felt when she passed by the desolate basketball court and darkened corner store nearly drove the pain away. It wouldn't be too far now. She resolutely continued with her arms wrapped around her middle to preserve body heat. She hadn't expected to be caught outside this late at night. She was usually home right after school unless she was with her boyfriend or at a friend's house.

Today had been different, her boyfriend hadn't been at school and she had gotten detention for being flippant to an authority figure. He would have been proud of her. She had left school at half past four and had missed the bus that would have gotten her on home in time. Going home now was futile; she would be turned away from her own home. Things had changed drastically since her father had gotten out of jail.

When she finally arrived at home it was half past quarter to six. Dinner was late, because she hadn't been home to make it. She had been late and not told anyone that she would be late. She was turned away from her home by her father and her mother watched with apprehension. When this happened her mother tried to ease her guilt with the thought that if he wouldn't let their daughter come home that there were at least three places her daughter was always welcome.

One was her grandmother's house, the second was the Mercer household and lastly there was always church. Their doors were always open.

She wanted to get to her grandmother's house before her grandma had finished dinner. The quickest and most risky way to do that would be to cut through the park where a lot of thugs and wannabe thugs hung out. A lot of dead bodies turned up in that park and a lot of showdowns took place on the field. That's where she had been approached and beaten up, by the tennis court. That event had changed her course to halfway across town. It would have been easier to take a bus, but she didn't have any money for that luxury. Shit if she had bus fare she would have just taken the bus to her grandma's house and walked a block.

The Mercer house loomed up ahead looking more heavenly than ever. Her uninjured hand gripped the railing to the stairs tightly as she pulled herself up. She wanted nothing more than to collapse right then and there on the front porch, but she had to warn her boyfriend. She knocked feebly on the front door and leaned heavily on the wall beside the door.

Light pooled out of the open door and illuminated her. Her eyes, so familiar with the darkness of night, shut in pain before they adjusted to the brightness.

"Julia," she gasped, "did your father do this to you?"

"No Ms. Evelyn, is Jack home?"

"Jackie, come here!" Evelyn Mercer called over her shoulder distractedly for her youngest son. "Come in baby girl, come in." She gently ushered Julia into her home.

"Ma, what is it?" A shockingly deep voice asked from the top of the stairs.

"It's Julia and she's hurt, Jackie go and get the first aid kit and meet me in the bathroom." Evelyn helped Julia begin her descent up the staircase. It was a slow and painful process and when they got to the bathroom Jack was already in there with the first aid kit.

"Jesus, what happened to you, Jules?"

"Not now Jackie, you can grill Julia for information later. Here sweetheart, sit on the edge of the bathtub and let me look at you. Jackie, pass me the disinfectant and a cotton ball, will you baby? I need to clean this nasty cut." Jack handed his mother two cotton balls in his rush and the bottle of disinfectant. Evelyn crouched down in front of Julia.

"Jack," Julia whimpered, he wordlessly let her grip his hand as his mother applied the disinfectant to the cotton ball. Julia flinched as Evelyn cleared away the dry blood and the disinfectant began cleaning her cut. Julia could be weak now, she wanted to be babied and looked after. There were very few times that Julia could be vulnerable and with Evelyn she was always able to let down her facade and be scared and flinch when she was in pain. Evelyn wouldn't judge her. A band-aid was pressed to the cut and Julia released Jack's hand and let out a slow breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"Jackie, can you go downstairs and get something from the freezer for Julia's eye? We'll want to get that swelling down." Evelyn said this last sentence to Julia, since Jack had taken off to the kitchen at the word 'freezer'. "Where else?"

Evelyn was such a smart woman. With a sigh Julia stood and pulled her fitted t-shirt over her head to reveal a multitude of purple, green, blue and yellowing skin around her stomach. A large bump interrupted the smooth skin of her stomach looking vengeful and angry under the cover of the largest and darkest bruise.

"Honey, we have to go to the hospital. That could be a break." Evelyn murmured, her fingers moving through the air around the bruising. She was scared to touch Julia for fear of causing her more pain than needed.

"Please Ms. Evelyn; can you take me tomorrow morning? I don't think ten hours could hurt too much. I just want to sleep, please."

Evelyn stared deeply into Julia's shining light hazel eyes and made her resolve.

"I'll go get the tenser bandage so we can wrap you up. We're going to go to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning. I'll go call your doctor and see if we can't just book you an x-ray appointment instead of waiting around for lord knows how long in the ER."

Evelyn pushed herself back onto her feet and disappeared into the hall, leaving Julia alone in the bathroom. Jack arrived a few seconds later with a bag of frozen vegetables.

"Here," he muttered, pressing the bag to her eye gently. Julia lifted her hand and pressed it over Jack's. He couldn't drag his eyes away from her stomach and the bruises that marred her fair skin. He paid no mind to the fact that she was before him in a purple lacy bra. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Hold me, please. Kiss me; stop looking so tortured and angry." Jack slipped his hand into her layered burgundy hair and trapped her bottom lip between his lips and then turned his attention to her upper lip and gently sucked on it. Julia's hand gripped his shoulder tightly and slanted her mouth under his as he pressed both his lips to hers. She was suddenly aware of how moist his mouth was compared to hers and how tense he was under her touch.

Jack pulled his mouth away from Julia's but allowed his fingers to stay tangled in her hair.

"Tell me what happened."

"This guy came up to me in the park and he asked me if I hung out with 'that Mercer kid' which I could only assume meant you. I didn't know what to do so I nodded and he told me to deliver a message to you. He said that 'he fucked up and he has to fix it and pay up before innocent people get hurt.' Jack, what's going on?"

"Julia, I-" Jack began.

"Alright sweetheart, let's get you wrapped up. Are you hungry baby? Jackie will go make you a sandwich if you are." Evelyn offered, entering the bathroom. Julia tore her eyes from Jack to glance at his mother and then back to her boyfriend.

"Grilled cheese, please?" She asked softly, Jack jutted out his jaw and nodded stiffly. He placed a chaste kiss to her lips and Julia allowed him to pull his hand free from the frozen bag pressed to her eye and he gently freed his hand from the jungle of soft tresses. He stalked out of the bathroom toward the kitchen and Julia knew that their conversation would be far from over.

"Alright honey, try and stand up straight while I wrap this around you. It's going to hurt because it has to be tight to keep your ribs together."

"Ms. Evelyn, there's one more thing." Julia gasped as Evelyn had almost finished wrapping her chest.

"What is it?" Evelyn asked while pinning the tenser bandage.

"I think I might have sprained my wrist."


	2. Chapter 2

**Reviews are appreciated.  
Thank you.**

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Jack knew his way around the Mercer kitchen so well that he did everything mechanically. He was well versed in the art of good sandwich making. The simplicity of it allowed Jack's mind to wander down any path he desired. He was feeling particularly sober and nostalgic. And as per usual his mind was also reeling from thoughts of Julia, he knew it was a side effect of having found his first teenage love and he welcomed the memories.

Julia was a positive person, Jack could fall into any memory of her and it would most likely be a happy one. She smiled more than any person Jack had ever known before and what's more is that her smiles were genuine. Julia could walk down a hallway and the moment she saw someone she knew her whole face would light up with genuine happiness. He had been on the receiving end of those smiles more often than any other person and he knew firsthand the effects that took over a person when they truly felt like someone was excited to have them around.

He remembered the first time she smiled at him that way, how strange and foreign it was to Jack. It was the first day of school, at least for him it was. He was starting a week later than everyone else and had just transferred from another school to a high school closer to the Mercer household. He was with Evelyn in the office, registering for classes.

"Hey Ms. Watson," the voice was light and friendly but loud in volume. Jack had jumped at the sound, startled by her nearly soundless entrance. He whipped around to see a short girl, she was a little lumpy thing but he didn't pay much mind to her body. Her grin was huge and she must have had braces because no one had perfectly straight teeth unless they lived in Hollywood. He was also sidetracked by her eyes; they were practically glowing with excitement, a sparkling warm hazel.

"Julia, how was California?" Ms. Watson, the elderly secretary asked warmly. She acted grandmotherly toward Julia, warm and welcoming. The mention of California drew Jack's attention to her dark skin tone.

"It was good; my cousin is on her way to Hawaii right now with her new husband. I'm a little stuck on California time; I just came from the airport. What period is it?" The girl was still smiling, but not as much and she was blatantly staring at Jack and Evelyn as she spoke to the secretary.

"Period two just started ten minutes ago." Ms. Watson informed her.

"Oh shoot, I'm late for gym!" Julia had seemed genuinely worried about being tardy. Jack had found that endearing and maybe even cute. Her round face looked truly worried.

"No, your gym class is off campus today. You can either take a free period or someone can drive you to their off campus location." Ms. Watson informed, already knowing that no teenager in their right mind would pass up the free block.

"No thank you, I'll take the free period. I'm starved. Um, who might you be? I'm Julia Henderson." The girl stuck her hand out to Evelyn.

"I'm Evelyn Mercer, and this is my son Jack. He's just registering to go to school here." Julia sent Evelyn her large grin and shook her hand happily and then held her hand out to Jack. He stared down at it and she dropped her hand wordlessly but her smile hadn't lessened. If anything, it grew twice in size.

"So you're registering huh? What electives are you going to take, Jack?" She had turned her body to lean back against the counter and then lifted herself and jumped so that she was sitting on the counter beside his course selection form.

"Dunno," He had mumbled with his head turned down to avoid her stare.

"I think you should take the typing class, there's no homework and it's the easiest A. Plus it comes in handy when you do homework. I know for sure there's room left in that class. I'm in that class and we have legit twelve kids. Guitar class is also open, there's no homework and you can take it every year at a different level but once you reach a certain level you're required to pay a guitar rental fee and then you get homework. I don't know if any of the metalwork or woodwork courses are full or if auto is or not. Last ditch effort, you can always take cooking."

Jack lifted his head and her grin was blinding, he had filled in her suggestion about typing and guitar just because he didn't know what electives to fill his schedule with.

"You can always ask for a study hall block." Ms. Watson suggested. Jack quickly scribbled it in his last blank spot and handed the registration form to the secretary. "I'll be right back with your schedule and your locker information. Hey Julia, why don't you help Jack out and show him where his locker and classes are? And you can take him to the library to get his text books."

"Sure, I would love to help our newest student." Julia's grin became a sincere smile. Jack was paranoid and suspicious because she sounded almost too happy to help him.

"Okay, I'll pick you up after school where I parked this morning. Jackie, don't leave school, please. I'll be here to pick you up; I have to go to work now." Evelyn squeezed Jack's shoulders and waved goodbye to Julia.

"Bye Ma." It still felt weird to call Evelyn his mother, but he was in that place where he was starting to realize that Evelyn was serious about keeping him. The reality of the adoption rarely seemed tangible and yet here he was, being enrolled into high school as Jack Mercer. Evelyn had introduced him as her son. It still seemed like a dream.

"Okay Jack, this is your schedule for the year and your locker combination is on the bottom right hand corner, your locker number is on the left. We don't have enough lockers in the school for everyone to have their own so I hope you don't mind sharing with someone. Welcome to Eden High," Ms. Watson informed Jack. Julia hopped off the counter and tried to read the schedule in Jack's hand.

"Okay so let's go get your books first and then we can go put them in your locker and then I can show you where your classes are and I'll show you the best route to get there and then I'll buy you a muffin from the cafeteria. Scratch that, let's go get a muffin now, I'm starved." Julia rambled quickly, tugging on Jack's wrist gently to make him follow her.

Jack trailed behind Julia and glanced down at his schedule. He figured that having guitar class first thing in the morning wasn't such a bad thing and then he got distracted by Julia's jeans. That girl had a nice ass; a blind man couldn't miss that fact. Her baggy red hooded sweatshirt was constantly being pulled down over her ass but it would ride up again. It was amusing for Jack to watch.

At the time Julia's hair had been red, if he remembered correctly. It was a choppy hairdo, quite short and messy. Julia never brushed her hair in the mornings; there was no point to it other than to waste time.

"This is the cafeteria where you can buy breakfast and lunch. I suggest only eating the muffins for breakfast, they have chocolate chip and blueberry and some other ones but those are the only two worth mentioning. So what'll it be Jack dear?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Chocolate it is!" Julia went on as if Jack had never even spoken. She paid for both their muffins and directed Jack to the library. On their way there Julia was stopped in the hall for a few conversations and introduced Jack to people he wouldn't have spoken to. Smart Asians for one thing, the too cool Asians, short Mexican kids, girls in short skirts and even faculty.

While they walked Julia chattered on and on about the school and what was going on. She told Jack that there was still time to join any clubs he might be interested in. This included the school band and the choir, both activities in which she participated in.

"I play the bass for the band and usually don't do solos in choir. It's fun, I really love music." She had told him with a smile and a wave to a passing by girl with braces and acne.

"Me too," Jack finally couldn't hold it in anymore as they pushed through the library doors. "You're sure popular."

Julia laughed out loud at this, too loud for a library. She was shushed immediately, Jack had thought that Julia wasn't much of a Library dweller; she spoke so loudly and excitedly about everything. She probably got kicked out a lot.

"You're kidding right? Shoot Jack, I know a lot of people because I talk to everyone. I don't care about anyone else's opinion but my own. I don't judge people before I know them. You could be a drug addict and a gangster but that wouldn't mean shit to me. That doesn't stop you from being a nice person. I really don't have any friends, it's kind of funny. It seems like I have a lot of friends, it really does but I don't see anyone outside of school."

Jack had been floored, but his shock was forgotten as Julia explained to the Librarian, Mrs. Cook, that Jack was a new student in need of text books. Julia had already explained to Jack about how after they got their schedules at the office they would go get their books in the Library and at the end of the year they would bring their text books back and get their Yearbooks.

"So you really don't have any friends huh?" Jack asked as they walked toward his locker. Julia had insisted upon carrying at least half of his text books for him.

"Well, not really. No one really knows me, where as I could recite the name, birthday and favourite color of half the student body. No one invites me to parties or to go to the movies or to get coffee or anything like that and I'm okay with that. I like to be left alone. We creative types are like that." She had given Jack a wry smile there.

He had no idea what made him say it, but he did. "Well, I'll be your friend."

"I'll do you a favour, Jack Mercer; I won't hold you to that." She tried to make it sound like a joke, but he could have sworn there was some kind of sadness in her that she was guarding a little too carefully around everyone.

"Have you ever used a lock before?" Jack nodded and spun the dial to all the right numbers and tugged on the lock. The locker was a complete mess. Whoever he shared a locker with definitely wasn't the most hygienic or organized person on the planet. Julia and Jack spent the next twenty minutes clearing out space for Jack's books.

Jack and Julia ended up having typing together next period, they sat together and a few people talked to Jack. He was like the new attraction at the zoo, people stared, girls giggled and he was questioned all through the class. Julia didn't talk which was strange; he had grown accustomed to her chattering away. Jack knew how to get to the rest of his classes; he didn't see Julia for the rest of the day.

Not even during lunch. Jack was invited to sit with a few guys he had met from classes. He forgot about Julia for the most part. She seemed to blend in and stand out all at once. Even when he passed by her in the halls on his way to his classes it was like she wasn't there but at the same time he always saw her. She even smiled at him a few times but she had this way of walking, with a purpose. Her steps were quick and light. In class he sat with his new friends, and he never really gave much thought to having said that he would be her friend. Jack knew he had tried for a few days but it was impossible to find Julia.

A sudden thought struck Jack as he cut Julia's grilled cheese sandwich in half.

Maybe he could never find her at school because she had never wanted to be found.

Jack didn't jump as he might have when he was younger when a hand was pressed to his stomach and another wedged its way into his front pocket. The warmth pressed into his back and the faintest scent of citrus told him that it was Julia. He had grown used to her affection, though it was rare for her to be so close. Somehow, Jack had known she would be there because she wanted to be. She wanted to be with him, he was the luckiest person because Julia wanted to be with him.

"That smells so good, Jackie." She murmured and laid a soft kiss to his shoulder. Julia's hand brushed across his abdomen and her chin rested on his shoulder.

"What do you want to drink, Jules?" He moved out of her hold and she let him.

"Um, do you have any orange juice?" Jack opened the fridge and stuck his head inside. Julia made a noise of appreciation as her boyfriend bent down and gave her a very nice view.

"Yes we do, you little pervert." Jack scolded, taking the juice out of the friend and reaching into the cabinets overhead for a glass.

"What were you thinking about when I came in?" Julia asked when Jack sat the plate and glass down in front of her on the table. Julia stared up at him innocently and shook her burgundy hair from her eyes. God, her hair had gotten so long since he had first met her. It was passed her shoulder blades now and still as messy as ever, even though Jack knew for a fact that she brushed it twice a day.

"Just the first day I met you. Thinkin' about how much you've changed since then." Julia took large bites of the grilled cheese sandwich and chewed quickly, not even feeling the heat. She swallowed and cleared her throat with a sip of orange juice, extra pulp.

"You mean with my incredibly dorky glasses? I thought they were so cool." Julia smiled softly and looked down at her half a sandwich. One hand was resting on the table; the hand that was wrapped in a tenser bandage, the other was keeping hold of her food as if someone would threaten to take it away.

"You know, I never even noticed you wore glasses. I don't think I noticed until you stopped wearing them. Your eyes were so alive that they completely took control. I don't think anyone noticed your glasses." Jack answered, lightly running the tips of his fingers over the exposed skin of her hand on the table.

"Your mom said I can spend the night in your room." Julia told him, turning her hand so that his fingers danced in her palm. Jack watched, entranced. He didn't want to look up at Julia and see the bruising around her eye or the bandage near her hairline. He knew that he was the cause of these injuries, even if he never lifted a finger in her direction. "Jackie, look at me."

Jack brought his eyes up and stared resolutely at the wall over her shoulder.

His hand was in a sudden death grip.

"Jack Mercer," her voice was as tough as nails and an eerie calm and quiet tone "don't do this to me, please. I hate it when you act like this. I love you."

Jack finally dragged his eyes to her face; they stalled at Julia's eye and ran over her hair. She had brushed her bangs so that they covered the bandage. Finally his eyes connected with hers and there was a conviction there so strong that Jack almost forgot why he was acting so distant. He was always a quiet and distant person, but Julia brought out subtle changes in him. She understood when he was just being Jack, quiet and distant, and when he was distancing himself with a purpose.

"I'm sorry Jules, I know you hate it." Jack squeezed her hand back and Julia stared imploringly at him. "I love you."

And that smile, it was the brightest and most joy filled smile Julia had and only he could make her smile that way.


	3. Chapter 3

**I need Entertain the Pain rehab. Review por favor.**

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"Alright kids, I'm going to go to bed now. You two don't stay up too late okay?" Evelyn was standing in the doorway that separated the living room from the entry room hallway where the stairs were located. Jack and Julia had since migrated to the couch to watch some television.

Jack looked over to his mother and paused in his twirling of Julia's hair around his fingers to smile.

"Alright Ma, we'll go to bed right after this movie." Julia sighed and lifted her head from Jack's chest. The act hurt like a mother fucking bitch, but Julia wasn't about to let Jack know that. It wasn't so bad now that her chest was wrapped up. She only allowed herself to flinch and hoped that Jack didn't notice.

"Goodnight sweethearts," Evelyn smiled down at her youngest son and his girlfriend. Julia was amazed at how she could always look at Jack with such pride and how he never noticed it. She had known he was mistrusting of Evelyn at the beginning, but how could anyone miss the obvious love in her eyes? Julia certainly couldn't.

"Goodnight!" They called in unison. Julia let her head fall back onto Jack's chest and he began to twirl locks of her hair around his finger. The distant sound of a door shutting had a trigger effect on the two teens. Jack tilted his head down and Julia titled hers up so that they could look each other in the eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it now?" Julia asked. Jack sighed and shook his head.

"We can talk about it later, when Ma is asleep. Do you want to go upstairs and get changed or something?" Jack offered.

"No, I want to finish watching the movie; you know how much I love Edward Scissorhands." Jack let it be, but he couldn't focus on the movie. He had watched this movie a million times with Julia already. He didn't understand how she wasn't sick of it yet. Julia wiggled herself down deeper between Jack and the couch cushions, but closer to Jack. She had been doing this every few minutes.

When Julia did it again Jack sighed and knew he'd have to interrupt her movie yet again.

"Are you cold or somethin'?" Julia turned her head to look at Jack.

"Jackie, you know I'm always cold. I don't hang off of you just for any reason you know, it's mostly so I can steal your heat. For a skinny guy you're like a fucking heater with legs. Not just any heater though, you're _my_ heater." To emphasize her point, Julia nuzzled her face into his chest and jammed her leg in between his.

There was no more talking after that. Julia was absorbed in her movie and Jack was thinking, a very dangerous task. He was brought back to his freshmen year at high school, and Julia's as well. She was so involved at her school; she went from being invisibly quiet to the main attraction in the halls. It was an on and off switch, from keeping to herself to being everywhere at once.

His friends didn't like her; they thought she was really annoying. She was so loud and when she laughed everyone heard and well, when she laughed she got a little hysterical and had trouble stopping. On the few occasions that Julia greeted Jack in the hall at school, his friends would stare at him.

"What?" He would ask, looking from his friends to Julia's back.

"Why does she talk to you, man? She's such a freak." His locker mate would say. He and his locker partner had become good friends, they had a lot of things in common and they bonded over music. In short he would say that Brad was his best friend at Eden High. Jack would shrug. Some days he would even mutter a bit in Julia's defence.

"She's not that bad."

He couldn't see what everyone else seemed to see when they saw Julia. She wore baggy hooded sweatshirts, often with a band name splashed across the chest or down the side. She never wore jeans or those damned mini denim skirts. She often wore sweatpants with a witty word on the seat or long elegant skirts that covered the majority of her legs.

Maybe Jack was just more tolerant of people. With four brothers, he had quite the immunity toward annoying people. Bobby, Angel and Jerry were far from quiet.

Jack wondered if Julia never really talked to him because she knew what his friends said. She was far from being a stupid girl, she knew a lot about people. Plus she wasn't deaf, she might be oblivious but when she walked down a hallway she picked up on the gossip. She probably heard Matt and decided to make things easier on Jack by not necessarily ignoring him, but not stopping to chat either.

There was always just something about Julia that caused him to stare as she walked away. It wasn't a crush, it couldn't be a crush. There were none of those butterflies and he didn't think she was attractive. He was just drawn to her for some unknown reason. In typing he would often find his gaze drawn to her. The crush didn't develop until later, a full year later when they ended up talking more.

Julia didn't know anyone in their gym class; she didn't get along with the girls in the class. They were all friends, in the same clique and Jack had always said they shared a brain. Jack didn't know anyone in that class either, at least no one he wanted to get to know. That class was primarily filled with cheerleaders and jocks.

Naturally Jack and Julia gravitated toward each other for companionship. They were both in okay shape, but they seemed downright out of shape compared to their athletic filled class. They usually ended up running laps together and standing next to each other in games; even when they were on opposing teams.

Two memories of Julia in gym class sprung to mind. One was when they were playing soccer just before the Thanksgiving long weekend. Jack smirked remembering the dress code for gym class. The only time Julia wore clothes that even hinted at her having a figure. Like most teenagers, Julia had grown taller and with that her figure slimmed but she still wore her baggy clothes, only now they were baggier.

Jack often admired her basketball shorts and long sleeved white shirt for gym class. The shirt allowed him to see the drastic change from subtle and soft curves. In other words, Jack blatantly stared at her rack and had figured her cup size to be a C. A fact she was obviously shy about, since her stance in gym involved her ankles crossed and her arms pressed tightly to her chest. It was adorable how when she ran she crossed her arms over her chest and blushed when Jack would smile at her.

That game of soccer was the first time the class acknowledged Julia's athletic ability. Albeit it was in soccer which the class all agreed was a bit of a pansy sport to begin with. Jack and Julia were on opposing teams, Jack being on the blue team and Julia being on the red team. He was standing in front of Julia closer to her team's end of the field, facing her goal and Julia was standing facing his goal. They were talking about some of the crazier teachers at Eden when Julia's eyes widened.

"Oh, ball!" She had cried, while gripping Jack's shoulder and shoving him to the left. Still holding onto his shoulder she propelled herself into the air and aimed a kick at the ball, sending it sailing to the other end of the field. Everyone, including the gym teacher and Jack stopped and stared as Julia hit the ground.

Her body on the grass made a thud as she fell onto her side, and when she rolled over onto her back Jack was surprised to see her laughing. Her arms had wrapped around her middle and she had her head thrown back and was laughing quite uncontrollably.

"Henderson!" The teacher called sounded awed. "Where in the hell did you learn how to do that?"

Jack had reached down to offer his hand and Julia gripped it weakly and allowed him to _attempt_ to pull her up. But she was laughing so damn hard that she fell back on her ass and nearly took Jack down with her. Being taller had some advantages, such as a better center of gravity.

That was when Jack knew there was something special about Julia. It was in December when Jack realized that he cared about Julia more than he had ever intended to.

They were doing a self-defence unit because in a town like Detroit you would need that shit to live passed the age of twenty-five. Girls' self-defence was a little different to boys but the classes often worked together for simulations. The guy teaching the class was harder on the girls than he was on the guys, he gave them shocking statistics about how many girls were raped in Detroit. He wouldn't stand for any slacking off.

Shockingly it was Julia the instructor had the most problems with. She would always smile (but it was completely fake and Jack could just tell that it took a lot of effort for her to muster it up) and tell him that she was a pacifist. She would have to do up to sixty various warm-ups each class for giving the instructor lip. It was the only time Julia had ever been flippant with any authority figure, at least that Jack had seen.

She and Jack often did their warm ups in class together, not the exercises that he punished Julia with, she could hit pretty hard. Underneath her smiling exterior, Jack knew there was an untapped anger that gave her a strength that had Jack shaking out his hands afterward. The warm-ups were where one person would wear pads on their hands and the other would hit the pads. If Jack said left, Julia would hit with her right and vice versa.

There was a big test at the end of the unit. The students were to go one on one with the instructor as a test, with the rest of the class watching. Jack remembered how scared Julia had made him that day when she walked into the gym. She wasn't following the dress code; she had on baggy sweatpants and a large sweatshirt. Jack stared in amazement, he had no idea that it was possible for Julia Henderson to be remotely close to being late for any class. She discarded her shoes carelessly and walked across the wrestling mats set out for the classes. She collapsed next to Jack and didn't say anything, she didn't smile or even look at him. She probably would have had something to say about him staring at her for so long, but there was nothing.

Her face had a light sheen of sweat and she was visibly trembling. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she subconsciously leaned toward Jack while she continued to shudder. She was breathing through her mouth; he had spent enough time around her by then to know that Julia usually breathed softly through her nose.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" Jack had asked her in concern. There was something obviously off about Julia that day and his concern surprised him. He had always had an interest in Julia, she was the first person to talk to him and he felt as though she were special in some way. But he knew this concern surpassed his intrigue.

"Hmm," Julia's head lazily lolled to the side toward Jack but her eyes were unfocused, "I'm fine."

It had taken her a moment to answer and when she did it was a soft mumble, like she couldn't find the energy to really talk to him. Jack shrugged it off and watched his classmates battle it out with the instructor, and then Julia was called up. She pushed herself up on trembling limbs and walked toward the center of the mat.

The instructor was on her in no time, Julia wasn't even fighting back and them she suddenly twisted out of his grip and sent a well aimed kick to the instructors back. He gripped her arm and she twisted her body again. She wasn't using very much violence on him and it was the quietest it had been all class. It was like a dance, his arms encircled her and she twisted away. Somehow Julia ended up falling even though she wasn't near the instructor (had she tripped?) and he gripped her ankle. Julia twisted her legs around and flew up onto her feet and nearly collapsed near the edge of the ring.

"Alright Henderson, you should have tried hitting your assailant but you got away and that's good enough for a pass. Take a seat, Marshall you're up now." Mr. Grayson had said in his gruff voice. He had gone back to being unimpressed with Julia after her amazing display of soccer skills.

Jack remembered how Julia had looked when she was walking back toward him. Her eyes were even more unfocused and her hair was unkempt and sweaty. Her face was shining with it and her breath was coming out ragged. She was shaking so much, Jack remembered thinking that she wouldn't be able to walk much further when her legs suddenly gave out. Julia fell to her knees and her eyes closed as she fell over onto the mat.

"Henderson!" Mr. Grayson had yelled, concern coloring his tone. The entire class stared, including the instructor. Only Jack had acted that day, propelling his body forward and landing on his knees next to Julia. He put a hand on her face and was shocked at how warm her skin was. Her head was rolling around and a low moan was heard and then the chattering of her teeth.

"S-so c-cold," She forced out, rolling into a ball.

The gym teacher fell on the other side of Julia and put his hand to her forehead.

"Damn, she's burning up. Marshall, go to the office and have them call Henderson's parents to come pick her up. Davidson, go to the bathroom and wet a couple of paper towels for her forehead. Mercer, did she say anything to you?" Mr. Grayson was so in control, Jack was momentarily shocked while everyone else jumped into action.

"She just said she was cold. I asked her if she felt okay and she said she was fine. I should have known that something wasn't right." Jack had felt so guilty. Julia had begun shifting and squirming closer to Jack. Her face was pressed into his stomach while her legs curled around his. He had been hesitant to put his hand on her head, but eventually did and began stroking her hair.

"She's obviously got a really bad fever. Campbell, go run to the nurse's office and ask her to bring a thermometer." Jack had ignored everything around him and just held Julia. He helped Mr. Grayson sit Julia up and allowed her full weight to lean against his body. He didn't complain about the water dripping from the towels. When Julia's mom arrived at the gym, Julia still couldn't walk very far without collapsing and she was pretty out of it.

Jack and her mother had helped put her shoes on and Jack even had to attempt to carry Julia out to the car, the key word was attempt. An annoyingly good looking football player ended up having to lift her up under the knees and support her back. Jack hadn't realized why that pissed him off until the next week passed by.

He couldn't stop worrying about Julia each day she didn't show up to school. Mr. Grayson had told the class that Julia had been hospitalized with a fever of 105 degrees. Jack had felt sick with apprehension because he couldn't get any more information other than that for two weeks.

And then, hallelujah, Julia was back in school and Jack had wasted no time in crushing her into a hug that she returned without question. That's when he knew that he cared, that's when he knew that what he had for Julia was not companionship, but a full blown crush.

Jack stared down at Julia in his arms as the final scenes of Edward Scissorhands played out. His brow furrowed, he had to wonder if his pacifist ex-crush had tried to fight back at all tonight. She seemed fine, then again she always seemed like she was okay when she was with Jack. He smirked to himself.

Her exact words had been: "I have never felt more happy or safe than when it's just me and you, Mercer."

Jack clicked off the television as the credits began to roll, shrouding them in near darkness.

"It's time to go upstairs now."


	4. Chapter 4

Julia was staring into the deep confines of a messy closet. So far she had found a pair of clean flannel pyjama pants that Jack probably didn't even know he owned. Now she just needed a shirt to change into, but she had her heart set on a specific shirt. She never could decide whether she liked wearing it as much as she loved seeing Jack wear it. Julia bent over and began shifting through the clothes on his closet floor, knowing that she would find it by feel since there wasn't any lighting in the small hole in the wall.

Jack lay back on his bed with his arms behind his head as he watched Julia. Her jeans were riding low on her hips and the shirt was riding up leaving a fair bit of exposed skin for him to enjoy. Jack knew which shirt she was looking for and could simply point out that it was on the end of his bed, but he was enjoying the view too much to be nice right now. Julia's hand reached behind her and pulled her shirt down, covering the creamy white skin and making Jack huff.

"Jules, the shirt you're looking for is on the bed." He told her flatly, staring up at the ceiling. He fought the twitch of his mouth when he heard her knees crack as she stood up straight. Her joints always cracked, it was one thing he always enjoyed about her. He knew for a fact that her joints cracked because she had always slept curled up into a ball, maybe not anymore but she used to.

"Thank you." Julia murmured, leaning over Jack, with one hand she pushed her hair to the side and with the other she cupped the side of Jack's neck. She pressed soft lingering kisses to one corner of his mouth and then moved to the other. Jack sighed in contentment as Julia pulled back. Their eyes locked and he smiled faintly, the act was mysteriously intimate to the both of them, though neither could comprehend the how and why. Julia was the one to break eye contact, grabbing the pants and shirt and leaving Jack's room behind her.

Jack sighed again, letting his mind wander to the beginning of his junior year. It was when he and Julia had first started seeing each other on a more than friendly level. Jack had wanted to push the friend barrier away in sophomore year but wasn't ready. He knew he cared for her and he knew that she cared about everyone. He had gotten to know her fairly well, and he knew all about what her dating experience was like. She had dated a lot in junior high but when things started to get serious she would freak out and break up with the person she was seeing.

She had admitted to him one day that she had purposely gained weight and stopped taking good care of herself to take the pressure of dating off of herself. She had been thrown into these situations that she had hated, and she struggled to say it that day but she had a guy force himself on her. She hadn't been able to tell Jack that until last summer. It was probably a trust issue, she and Jack were friends but she also was aware that his friends did not like her. Plus in high school it's hard to trust someone.

Jack didn't trust any of his new friends with the important shit. Yeah he told them he was adopted and a foster kid, but he didn't say shit else about being in the system. He could understand how Julia had trouble admitting it to him that day in gym class. He was just glad that she does trust him so much, probably too much.

Evelyn had once said to Jack: "If you blindfolded that girl I bet she'd let you lead her into a burning building and still believe in you enough to keep her safe."

Maybe Jack hadn't breached the friendship because he wasn't ready for the backlash his friends would undoubtedly deliver. He wasn't the only one risking something, Julia was going to put some part of her in his hands and he would have to know whose side he was on. Was he going to be silent when his friends ridiculed his girlfriend or would he defend her? Would Julia be really hurt by them or would she brush them off?

He waited it out and he swore that if after the summer he still felt that connection to Julia at any time, he'd go for it. He made this decision after a very long talk with Evelyn about what it is to love someone. It had been a great conversation; Evelyn knew just what to say to Jack. She helped him to understand that the kind of love he was talking about was always going to be some kind of risk and that the love of a family was unconditional.

The first day of classes Jack had to reign himself in. He subconsciously was searching for Julia among the many students crammed into the library. He thought that he'd be able to tell if he still had feelings for her by just looking at her. He was wrong, because he hadn't been immediately attracted to Julia in the first place. He had fallen for her personality, and it would only be after talking to her that he would know how deep in the rabbit hole he had gotten.

He caught brief glimpses of her in the halls, but they were so damned crowded and all his old friends were greeting him that he could never reach her. Her hair that day was a blond-orange color with streaks of brown. They had no classes together, but there was a slim chance that tomorrow when the schedule shifted they might have one.

Jack couldn't remember how he managed it, but he got detention on the first day of classes. That didn't bother him because he also got to take home a guitar from guitar class and that cancelled out any bad from the day. It was about quarter to four when he reached the surrounding suburban area by the school. He had gotten his walkman confiscated that day and so when he heard the sound of a door opening his attention was diverted briefly.

He only stopped to stare because he recognized the strange hair color. A tall man, almost the same height as Jack, was gripping Julia's backpack by the straps and stepping forward on the porch. From Jack's vantage point he could see the toes of Julia's shoes barely scraping the cement as he pushed her backward onto the lawn.

"Find somewhere else to stay tonight and there are going to be a lot of changes around here little lady." The man said gruffly, he was unshaven and his demeanour screamed dirty. In a way this man kind of reminded Jack of his older brother Bobby. He was real rough around the edges. He turned his back on Julia and slammed the front door behind him.

The world was silent for a minute. Julia had stared in disbelief and obvious shock at the closed door before Jack had gotten the balls to say anything to her.

"Are you okay?" Her head snapped around and Jack noticed how her face seemed to have slimmed out over the summer. Her bones just seemed the more prominent feature, but her cheeks retained their innocent roundness.

"Yeah, bag broke my fall. It's just... he wasn't supposed to be home yet." Julia struggled to say, her confusion obvious. Having been in similar situations he was wary in his approach of Julia. Her eyes had barely taken Jack in. "I need to warn my mom before she gets home."

"Was that your dad?" Jack had asked, crouching down to her level. Julia's eyes darted to Jack again, taking in his appearance and the guitar case with interest before she answered.

"No, that's my mom's husband. They were married for a few years before he went to jail for breaking and entering and now he's home. He doesn't hurt me if that's what you think he just hates it when you're late and he wants to talk to my mom alone. I don't know if he will hurt her or not but I think she deserves a warning and I'm rambling about shit that isn't your business. Fuck."

Jack had no idea what made him say it at all, it just came out.

"I'm thinking I might go get my tongue pierced next week." Julia looked at Jack like he had three heads, but he stared at a tree over her shoulder. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure." Julia agreed sounding a little wary of his random offer. "So, you're in the advanced class now? Maybe you should play for me sometime. I always wished I could play guitar but I just don't have the dedication for it."

"Hey, why don't you come over to my house and I'll play something for you? You can stay for dinner and my Ma will probably let you stay the night if you explain what happened." Jack threw the suggestion out there without much thought, but he was certain that Evelyn wouldn't turn Julia away. She always asked about Julia and how she was doing.

"No t hanks, Jack. I should probably start walking to my grandma's house. She has a room there for me." Julia declined, speaking softly. Jack remembered thinking about how sore his legs were getting and decided to stand up.

"You should still come over to my house; you can call your grandma and make sure she'll be home. It wouldn't do you any good to get there and be locked outside in the cold. It's supposed to rain tonight, isn't it? My Ma will drive you to your grandma's house after dinner. Come on Julia, you know you want to." It had the desired effect, Julia smiled and Jack saw her resolve weakening. He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet.

He held her hand the whole way to his house and neither one of them said anything. Julia had called her mom's work and given her the heads up and then called her grandma. Her grandma wasn't home so she left a message and asked her to call back at Jack's house. Evelyn wasn't due home until five that day and Jack took Julia to his room to hang out and do homework. He had no excuse for taking her there except for wanting to be with her in his room.

It was that whole danger vibe that he got from knowing that he shouldn't have a girl in his room when nobody is home. Julia had sat herself on the end of Jack's bed and sat Indian style while Jack began tuning the acoustic guitar he had rented for the year (until he saved up for his own).

Jack played a few strums and glanced up at Julia to see her focus was elsewhere.

"You write your own songs?" Julia asked in an awed voice, pointing to the notebook lying next to Jack on the bed.

"Yeah, but they aren't any good." He muttered sheepishly, embarrassed. He knew what usually came next.

"Can I hear one? I mean you don't have to say the words if you don't want, you can just play the melody."

Jack couldn't find it in himself to say no, he began to play on of his original songs and soon enough he was mouthing the words and singing them softly. Julia had watched him, enraptured by every chord progression made and loving strum that came from Jack's hands. When she caught his whispered singing, her eyes became transfixed on his mouth.

When Jack finished and looked up to gauge Julia's reaction, he was taken aback by the glazed look in her eye. Her hand tentatively rose to rest on his cheek and Jack watched its every movement with anticipation. Her hand pressed into his cheek and her thumb gently ghosted over his slightly parted lips. His warming breath embraced the skin as he breathed out.

"I'm sorry that this is going to sound so strange but I have to tell you, Jack Mercer. You have the most amazing mouth I have ever seen." And with half lidded eyes she leaned forward and gently touched her warm lips to the corner of Jack's mouth.

Call it hormones or the heat of the moment but Jack let go of the neck of his guitar and cupped the back of Julia's neck to keep her in place as he leaned in the rest of the distance. Her hand fell away to his shoulder and he caught her lips between his with an uncertain softness that he hadn't known he was capable of.

And after Jack pulled away, what did he say? It wasn't smooth or suave or any form of romantic, but it was honest. "Julia, I like you."

She had grinned, but it wasn't her sincere grin or comforting or anything. It was mischievous and possibly giddy. "How much do you like me?"

Jack tried to fight the smirk, but ended up losing before he leaned over again to touch his lips to Julia's with more confidence. He gently traced her bottom lip with his tongue and pulled away before Julia had much time to react to his bold statement.

"That much," he grinned at her wide eyed expression.

"Oh." That wasn't the reaction he had been hoping for. "How come you had to tell me you like me with so much wit and spontaneity? Now anything I say back is going to sound really stupid and clichéd. Gosh Jack, you're making me look bad!"

Julia smiled and then bit her lip, staring intently down at his hand that still rested against the guitar. Softly she began to brush her fingers against his; not gripping them, just getting a feel for his dry skin and swallowing around the lump of fire that seemed to have lodged itself in her throat.

"I think I've liked you since I met you, if that makes any sense. I felt like I knew you when I saw you that day, and I wanted so much for you to like me, even if just for that day. I've always been drawn to the quiet ones. You know, I barely got a C in gym last year but it was my favourite class because it was the only class I had with you and I really got to know you." Julia took a deep breath and pulled her eyes from their hands to look into Jack's face.

He had actually blushed, and it only made him feel better to see that Julia was turning red as well. He cleared his throat; he had no idea what to say now. The moment was interrupted by Evelyn's arrival, so they didn't talk anymore about anything like that. It was very confusing for Jack after that, he had kissed her and she had kissed him and they said they liked each other but now they were in that limbo.

She often smiled at him from across the hall and he'd smile back and neither knew whether or not they should approach each other. They sat next to each other in the one class they had together but didn't talk. Their relationship never really became official until Julia went with Jack to get his tongue pierced.

"Now, you and your girlfriend shouldn't play any tonsil hockey for a while, it'll hurt. You'll want to wait until it heals a bit and if you want to risk it I suggest rinsing your mouth out with salt water after to ward off any infections. No offence honey, I'm sure you have a very clean mouth. You don't want your boyfriend to get an infection though, right? Better safe than sorry and all that shit." The man that had pierced Jack's tongue said after instructing him on how to clean his new piercing.

Julia had wordlessly held his hand just in case.

"No, I wouldn't want my boyfriend to get an infection." Julia had said and Jack could tell that she was fighting back a large grin.

"She's a cute one, Jackie boy. I'd hold onto her if I were you." Jack stared at Julia and smiled warmly.

"I will be sure to hold onto her."

Jack grinned at the memory of how he and Julia had started to date officially. Julia had once compared it to being married. This tattoo artist that pierced Jack's tongue was like the priest pronouncing them man and wife.

Their first kiss isn't even close to being Jack's best memory in his bedroom. Two weeks before their senior year of high school began, a few days before Julia's birthday they had been lying in his bed doing nothing. Evelyn was at work, and she trusted Jack to be home alone with Julia. They had never officially told Evelyn that they were dating, but Jack knew that Evelyn had to know about them. She never referred to Julia as his girlfriend, but there was just a way that she looked at them that made him think that she knew.

He wouldn't be surprised if Evelyn knew what happened that day.

The memories were vivid, like a movie that Jack liked to watch over and over again late at night. The green tank top she wore had ridden up and his hand rested comfortably on the dewy warm skin of her lower back. Her hand was resting over his stomach, moving with the rise and fall of his torso when he breathed. Her right leg was hooked over his waist, her shorts falling just shy of her knee. They were a powder blue and made of a very soft material. Her head was right over his heart and the fan they had blowing on them was wafting her citrus scent around his room. She was well groomed, and Jack was still in his boxers from the night before, his hair wasn't even brushed yet. All he had done that day was open the door and brush his teeth.

They had been having conversations on and off all day but the heat just made them feel so lethargic that they were both content to just lay with each other.

"So what do you want me to get you for your birthday?" Jack had asked, aware that her birthday was in a few days. Evelyn had offered to help him pick something out for her, but he wanted to get Julia something that she might actually like. He at least wanted a rough idea of what she wanted as a gift. He expected her to say something like jewellery or CD's or even a gift card. Not what came out of her mouth, he was blown out of the water from it.

"I want you." She didn't even turn her head, she didn't twitch or fidget.

"You already have me." Jack had stated, confused at what she was saying.

"Jack, have you ever had sex before?" The question elicited an audible gulp from Jack.

"It's complicated."

"That pretty much sums it up then doesn't it?" Jack didn't respond, he didn't know what to say. Hell, he didn't even know what Julia had said. Silence blanketed over them and then it happened, he wasn't even sure at first that it happened. Julia started crying, not sobbing or wailing or anything dramatic like that. Just tears and Jack wouldn't have known if her cheek wasn't pressed to his chest.

"I was dating this guy once, he was older. He used to tell me how pretty I was and I don't even know how it happened. We were just watching a movie and all of a sudden he's all over me and I wanted him to stop so badly. After that I decided, well I bet ugly girls don't have to deal with this, so I made myself gain weight and I stopped taking care of myself. I have trouble getting close to people, Jack. Is it like that with you?"

"Yeah, it's exactly like that." Jack muttered, gently rubbing Julia's back.

"I trust you, Jack, enough to get close to you. I'm ready to put myself out there. But if you're not ready I am willing to wait. If you're never ready then that's fine too."

"I want to, I really do but I don't know if I can." He had admitted, Julia turned her face to look at him at the sound of his heartbeat accelerating.

"I don't know if I can either. We can try; we can take it really slow. I just know that I can't keep living like this, afraid to try and be with people because of what one person did to me." Julia had made a good point, but it didn't stop him from being scared.

"Do you want to do it now?"

"Okay." Jack didn't have any condoms, but he knew Angel had to have some in his room. "Where are you going?" Julia had asked.

"I'm going to go find a condom." He had answered, not looking back. When he returned with the contraception Julia had relocated to the other side of the room and the curtains were drawn. Julia briefly glanced over her shoulder.

"D-do you mind if we um, undress ourselves? I'm ticklish and I think that just might ruin the mood if I started laughing and yeah." God she had sounded so nervous and it had never seemed sexier to Jack.

He had nodded and turned his back to her to undress himself.

"A-are you ready?" Julia had asked.

"Yeah I'm ready; on the count of three?" They counted down in unison and then slowly turned to face each other and for an unknown amount of time they just stood at different sides of the room drinking each other in fully. After that they just looked into each other's eyes. Jack would never say it aloud (he would sound like a huge pussy, or a fairy as his oldest brother called him) but it was incredibly romantic. He could be staring at any part of her, but he looked into her eyes. He could see the certainty and the love but also the fear in them. He knew that his had to be a mirror image.

Jack had been standing next to the bed, and so Julia made her way forward. She never tore her eyes away from Jack's. With every step closer her eyes changed, the love and the fear became the most dominant emotions displayed by her truthful orbs. She slowly brought her hand to press against his shoulder and love was the only thing Jack saw in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Julia had whispered, and instead of answering her Jack slowly and gently wrapped her into his arms and brought her body flush against his. For a moment they just stood there, holding each other with nothing between them. Julia's grip on Jack's shoulders gradually tightened, and her eyes slid closed as her lips puckered. She pressed a soft and lingering kiss over his heart and Jack shuddered at the contact.

"I love you." He gasped and it was the first time that he said it out loud to her. Her hands framed his face and she pressed her mouth onto his. Jack slowly lowered Julia onto his bed and let his body hover over hers for a moment before pressing himself onto her, eliciting a gasp and earning free access to her mouth.

Julia's hands were tangled in his hair, tugging gently. Her thigh rubbed against him and Jack nearly lost it. He fumbled around with the condom package, his hands were shaking.

"I think it's going to hurt." Julia whispered, pressing soft open mouthed kisses onto Jack's neck.

"Do you want to stop?"

"No." Jack kissed away her tears and soothed her the best he could, listening to her whimpers of pain.

And her warmth surrounded him, embraced him. It was ecstasy, his form of heaven on earth. He had never felt this happy and loved, and wanted. He hadn't thought it could get any better until Julia was biting on his shoulder and then gasping into his ear.

"I love you."

Jack had full intentions of just holding Julia after, but was disappointed when she crawled out of his arms to open the window.

"It stinks like sex in here." She had said with a giggle and then wiggled back into his arms.

Angel had plenty of girls stay in his room, but Jack had a feeling that being with all those girls didn't feel even half as amazing as being with Julia had been. Because they were in love and not just for the night or the week. They would be together for a long time.

"Earth to Jackie, earth to Jackie, can you read me?" Jack shook his head of the memories and stared up into Julia's amused expression.

"What took you so fucking long?" He asked, discretely admiring how good she looked in his clothes.

"I had a little trouble lifting my arms high enough to get my shirt off and bending over wasn't that pleasant either." Julia wiggled her eyebrows. "What were you thinking about while I was gone?"

"Nothing," Jack answered quickly, too quickly for it to be true. Julia started to giggle and shake her head at him. "What?"

His eyes followed her line of vision and he let out a small groan.

"I'll be right back, and when I get back we're going to talk. I mean it this time."

* * *

**This update was over eight pages long, amazing yes? Reviews please. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

"So, what do you want to know?" Julia asked, she was leaning back against Jack's headboard with her legs stretched out in front of her, one on top of the other. Her toes were gently rubbing Jack's knee and he had to fight to focus. He knew her tactics and he refused to fall for them now.

"I need to know everything from beginning to end." Jack told her and leaned forward with his eyes trained on her, a sure fire way to let her know that he was listening intently. It also helped to stress the importance of this conversation.

"Okay, so I was in detention after school because I mouthed off to a teacher about some history lesson. Because I had detention I missed the bus that would have gotten me home in time, any other time I would have walked but I knew that even if I ran I would have been late to Mike's standards." Julia had to take a moment to breathe; she hated Mike more than anything.

He had changed everything, she had to be home before four o'clock every day and if she wanted to go anywhere she had to give twenty-four hours notice at least. That included going to Jack's after school and any plans to get extra help in math. If she was late her step father would throw her out of the house without a care and her mother fucking let him.

Her mother also let Mike mentally abuse her. Julia remembered when she used to admire her mother, now she just saw her as a coward. She wouldn't fight back against Mike out of fear for her own safety; she turned a deaf ear to every ill word Mike spoke to Julia.

"So he threw me out the front door again, my mom just stood behind him and watched. I got up and started walking to my grandma's house. I figured if you weren't in school that you were sick so I figured going to my grandma's was the best idea. I was really hungry and wanted to get to gram's house before she finished her dinner and then went out on her runs and the best way to do that is to cut through the park." Julia paused and looked guiltily up at her boyfriend.

He had that steely look in his eye, his lips pressed together in a tight line. Those were the only indications of his anger toward her poor judgement. He had begged her to never walk through that park at night, alone. How many bodies had popped up in the duck pond? How many girls had been raped and left for dead out in the open field?

"This black guy walked up to me when I was by the tennis courts. I could see the street lights, I just had to go up the stairs and I'd be just five feet from the street. He wanted to know if I hung out with that Mercer kid and he acted like he was all friendly but I knew he was faking it. I nodded my head because I didn't want the scenery, the park, and the night to make me paranoid and rude because what if you two were friends? Then he changed, he said that he wanted me to deliver a message and I could just tell from his eyes that this wasn't something I could just tell you. I was going to be that message."

Julia paused in her story to gauge Jack's reaction to her words. His eyes were unfocused, staring off into some different place. His hands were clasped together and his mouth was still in that straight line. Rings glistened in the light from the light from the window. His eyes were brightened, reflecting the light, but they were dark with anger.

"I tried to run to the street but he grabbed my hair and threw me into the fence. He told me to tell you that you need to fix things and pay up before anyone got hurt." Jack finally shifted his gaze to Julia and she could just tell that he had something to say. "What?"

"Did he touch you?" Julia knew that Jack didn't mean it in the way of "did he hit you", he meant if that guy molested her.

"No, of course not baby. I'd tell you if that happened, I swear."

"Why didn't you fight back?" He asked, anger and frustration coloring his tone.

"Look, my experiences with Mike have taught me that the more you fight back, the worse it gets. I could have ended up dead if I fought back." Julia defended vehemently.

The two lovers stared challengingly at one another. Of course Julia couldn't really find the energy to get mad at Jack, the day had taken its toll on her and all she wanted was to curl up with a teddy bear. Jack would do too.

"And what about you, what's your story, huh Jackie? What did you do?" Julia spat with as much contempt as she could muster, which wasn't a lot. She just ended up sounding tired, vulnerable and weak. Jack could easily kill her request for knowledge, and he would. When Julia found out about what Jack did they agreed that they weren't going to get stuck on it. He wasn't using the product... anymore... and it was only a temporary thing. As soon as he cleared up a debt, he would stop. He was only doing it as a favour, and it had almost been over.

When Julia had watched Jack do an exchange after school, the truth came out. Jack had been dealing drugs all through the summer and after school some day. He thought for sure it was over, the look of horror on her face when he turned and saw her standing there with his history text book. She just handed him his text book, and curled her fingers around his belt loop to pull him closer for a lingering kiss.

And all she had to say was: "See you tomorrow, Jackie."

They barely spoke about it, he assured her it was a temporary thing and he was doing it as a favour and then it'd be over. Now she was prying Jack for the story, for the very details she was so quick to brush off in the first place.

"It doesn't matter." Jack muttered defiantly, refusing to look at Julia. His eyes were looking more and more like cold stone by the second.

"I think it matters, Jackie. Something bad is obviously happening and I want to help you but I can't if you don't tell me what's going on." Julia pleaded, placing her hand on his. Usually he would react to that kind of affection, release one hand and let her hold it. This time however he kept his hands together and merely moved his head back from the warmth of her hand. He ignored the heat that rushed through him, the same heat that rushed through Julia every time they touched.

"Look, just keep out of it okay Julia? It'll be better if you just back off and don't hang around me for a while." Julia drew her hand back and stared at the boy before her. This wasn't the same person she met in the office their first year of high school, he had changed. She had changed too; they had changed together and were compatible. She had a feeling they were about to experience their first major fight.

"Let me get this straight, you're asking me to leave?"

"It just might be better if we don't see each other until this all blows over." Jack had never broken up with anyone before but he remembered Angel saying this to one of his many girlfriends once and they still ended up having sex after. Of course Jack wasn't trying to keep Julia's legs open for him, he was trying to keep her hopeful so that when all of this did blow over they could pick up where they left off. He should have known that he wasn't Angel and Julia wasn't just one of many.

"You're breaking up with me." It wasn't a question, it was a cold factual statement that Jack could either deny or embrace. Julia no longer was staring intently at Jack, so he felt it was safe to observe her. Her hair was falling into her face, her hands were tugging on the end of his shirt viciously and her entire body seemed to be trying to shrink. Her legs were pulled up closer to her chest and Jack was already feeling the cold set in.

"I guess I am." Was his flippant response, he did it just the same way he had heard his brothers say it before. Cool and confident, indifferent over all that existed. Including the girls they supposedly loved and cared about.

"Well fuck you Jack Mercer, I'm not going to just leave and get out of your hair for a few days while you sort out your life. Because if you're breaking up with me then you better be fucking ready to live your life without me because I won't be waiting for you to get your shit together. Now you look me in the eye you coward and you hurt me. Tell me you don't like me in that way before. That I mean nothing because that's the only way that I'm going to go away."

Julia's head had raised, her hair falling out of her face in messy tendrils, and her hazel eyes were locked with his blue ones. They were hard with resolve, but shining with tears that when she blinked fell so quickly that Jack hardly could tell that they were there at all.

Jack wasn't the best at lying, he couldn't think on his feet the way Bobby could. He wasn't as charismatic as Angel and he wasn't as logical as Jerry. He was Jack, he fucked shit up, and he was a stupid kid.

"Don't push me away with some sort of hero complex thinking that you're helping me in the long run. This isn't protecting me from anything Jack; I know what's out there. I've already had the crap kicked out of me tonight. I could have broken up with you the moment I found out about what you were doing, but I didn't because I knew you were more than that. I could have told you to leave me alone when I got beat up, but I didn't and I won't. Why? Because love makes people stupid and I love you and until you stop loving me I'm always going to love you. Let me help you, please."

Jack sighed and shook his head.

"When I'm not with you or at school, I spend my spare time on the streets selling people drugs. I'm bad news Julia; you can do so much better than me." Jack made sure he stared into her eyes no matter how viciously his own eyes burned with pain. This was hurting more than he ever expected it to.

"I don't want better, I want you." She murmured softly, her tears falling more rapidly now. Jack applauded her for her strength; he could never be that openly vulnerable. He had been trained in life not to show much by way of emotion.

"I don't want you," _to get hurt._ Jack lied to Julia aloud and kept the truth a silent thought that he would never tell. Julia shook her head slowly and was on her feet and halfway out the door in the time it took Jack to blink. He followed her out of the room and by the time he was downstairs she had finished pulling on her shoes and was pushing her clothes into her bag.

She didn't even glance up at him.

"Julia, where the hell do you think you're going?" He growled, it was nearly two in the morning and the streets of Detroit were dangerous enough in the day.

"Home, my grandma's, a church... I don't know. Somewhere that isn't here." She cried out, her voice sounding wounded and cracking at key points in her sentences giving her a desperation that most actors would be jealous of. Jack swallowed hard; he didn't want her to leave.

"Julia, don't be stupid. It's almost two in the morning, it's dangerous out there. You'll get hurt." He tried to use logic, like Jerry would. He wanted to hit himself for sounded so desperate instead of calm and nonchalant.

"The only thing that's hurting me right now is you. I'll take my chances on the streets of Detroit." Julia pulled on her jacket and swung her bag over her shoulder, turning her back fully to Jack and began to unlock the front door.

"Julia, just stop a minute and think. Don't go out there, think about Evelyn. She'd be upset; she made you that appointment for tomorrow. Think about what your mom will think when you come home with a black eye and a sprained wrist." Julia paused and turned to face Jack.

"Mike will just assume you beat me, he always thought you looked like an abusive boyfriend. He'll probably tell my mom that's what he thinks and she won't bother asking me. If they did I probably would just let them think that you hit me. What you've done is worse than any beating I've ever had. Bruises fade, cuts heal and bones can be mended. As for Evelyn, you can explain to your mother why I left in the middle of the night. She won't be seeing me around anymore."

And with that, Julia wrenched open the door and walked out. Jack was stupid and he fucked up a lot, but he wasn't stupid enough to let Julia go out there without a proper fight. He followed behind her without really thinking it through.

"Jules, stop!" He yelled, not giving a flying fuck about any of his neighbours, at this point he didn't even think about keeping Evelyn up. He just wanted Julia to come back into the house.

"Don't call me that!" She shrieked, turning around to glare at him.

"Julia, please come back inside. I'll tell you everything, I swear. I didn't mean it, I want you and I'll always want you and I'll never want anyone else. I love you, don't walk away. You said you'd love me as long as I loved you back right? Well I love you, so come back." He didn't know if he made any sense at all, he didn't care if he sounded like a pussy. He only cared that Julia stopped and was facing him, and Jack didn't look away under her scrutinizing stare.

Julia began walking back toward him, when she was standing beside him she looked over at him with a smug smile.

"Works every time," She snickered, leaning up to plant a kiss on Jack's cheek.

"You are such a fucking bitch." He accused, following her back into the house.

"Yeah well, you're an asshole. I can't believe you just tried to break up with me. Jackie, I'm hurt."

"How did you know that I would beg, huh? What if I just sat back and stewed in my bittersweet victory?" Jack challenged, shutting and locking the door behind them.

"Then I would have marched back over here, woken your mother up and told her you were being a jerk. Evelyn would have set you straight, or at the least made you feel so guilty that you'd look like a kicked puppy all the way to graduation."

"You're evil, pure evil, I swear." Jack smiled in spite of it all, because Julia was grinning.

"Now, someone swore to explain everything to me. Get talking Cracker Jack." Jack scowled at the use of the loathed nickname. He also had hoped that maybe in all the relief of not really breaking up and having survived their first big fight, Julia would have forgotten. But no, of course not, she has the fucking memory of an elephant.

"So I told you that I was doing this temporarily as a favour right? Well, my brother Bobby was doing some shit for some guys for some cash. I don't really understand it and Bobby wouldn't explain it all but then he got arrested for possession. Well apparently he had a debt with these guys in Detroit and they threatened to hurt Ma if he didn't square off the deal. So he asked me to pick up where he left off."

Julia nodded; she understood how important Bobby was to Jack. She also understood the trials of settling someone else's debt while they were locked away.

"So I started selling for him, and the debt was done but I wanted to do one more run for some extra cash... I needed money for something and I kind of wanted to get you a nice gift for once. This guy was a major buyer and he was late, it wasn't unusual for these types. So I was standing there waiting when someone came up behind me and clubbed me in the back of the head. When I came to the package was gone. Now I owe these thugs money and they aren't so keen on letting me work it off this time."

Julia gulped and pressed a hand to the side of Jack's face to force him to look at her.

"How much money did you lose?" She whispered.

"Ten grand," he muttered, leaning into her touch, savouring every moment of her skin on his. Time was running out for him and he wanted to remember everything about Julia.

They would sink him in the river soon enough, Jack Mercer just didn't have that kind of money.

"What would you need that kind of money for?"

"Well, I was getting paid ten percent for the drop. I just wanted to get you a nice gift because... well I've been thinking about heading off to New York after graduation. I wanted you to have something nice to remember me by; I just wanted to do one great thing for you." Julia did the math; Jack was getting about 1,000 dollars for one drop. That's pretty fucking good money, too much money.

"Oh Jackie, that was obviously a set up. They didn't want to let you go. They wanted an excuse to hurt you; they knew you wouldn't have that kind of money."

"Then why did they do it? I mean I earned off Bobby's debt, they had no reason to do it." Jack was confused and angry, it was written in his eyes.

"I would assume it would be to get back at Bobby." Julia murmured softly, stroking his cheek lovingly with her thumb. "Baby, don't worry, I'm going to help you."


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

Yeah, this is a little shorter than usual. Sorry. Review please.

Julia lay on the edge of Jack's bed, his arm was holding her to his chest and his breath was caressing the inner shell of her ear with every exhale. He had fallen asleep an hour ago, but Julia was having difficulties letting herself relax. It was a mixture of the pain and the worry, her mind just wouldn't shut up and every time she got comfortable enough to doze she would disturb her ribs and be wide awake. She suffered in silence, not letting out any grunts of pain or whimpers, she didn't even cringe.

Her shifting didn't wake Jack, neither did her constant humming. He was out like a light, and her mind was running round in circles.

What do they do now?

Julia knew that they had to get the money, which was the easy part of it. It wouldn't be that simple though if they really wanted to hurt Jack then they would do it regardless of the money. No amount could buy them off; they wanted to take a shot at Bobby Mercer. It was a stupid idea because Bobby Mercer would take them all out for a lot less than sinking his baby brother. Julia had heard enough from Jack about Bobby to know that.

And it came to her then, a brilliant idea at four in the morning. She and Jack needed to go see Bobby, to talk to him about this. Then they would have to go get the money.

Complication: Julia couldn't get the money herself. She needed written permission from someone to access the money she had in her bank. On top of that a large amount of money like that would take a few days to process.

Why would a teenager need ten grand? She could possibly need that money for a graduation trip to Europe. No, that wouldn't fly very well with anyone; especially when she just didn't go to Europe over summer. Julia couldn't lie her way out of this one; she'd have to tell the truth. She just couldn't think of a good way to excuse ten grand disappearing into thin air.

She could say it had something to do with a house payment, but what seventeen year old needs to put a payment down on a house?

A car, that's got to be a practical expense, Julia almost bolted up in bed in her excitement, but managed to only slightly jerk upward, causing Jack to bury his face into her neck and pull her closer to him. His side was practically pressed into the wall and aside from that he was almost lying on top of her. She revelled in their closeness and his distinct scent. Whatever his deodorant was, it was delicious. It was a warm scent, which made her calm instantly.

She allowed the scent to wrap around her, cradle her to sleep, a silent lullaby. It felt like Julia had just shut her eyes when she was being woken up by Jack's soft kiss just under her jaw. She looked up at him with bleary eyes, rubbing the sleep from them with one hand.

"You look so beautiful when you've just woke up." Jack murmured softly, running a long calloused finger down the side of her face. Julia stared at him incredulously, wondering if she was still asleep. "You really do, your face is so relaxed and calm when you wake up, it's so innocent. The skin is this milky color," Jack's finger slid and traced her cheek bone. "Except for here, there's this tiny pink patch right along here. You give sleeping beauty a run for her money."

"I must be in a sugar coma, you're being too sweet, Jackie." She mumbled through a yawn. Her voice was so sleep filled that Jack almost regretted having to wake her. Julia really did look like a fallen angel when she slept; the only downside was that Jack couldn't see her glowing hazel eyes, the color of liquid caramel some days. When they looked at him they were filled with such warmth, it was always a welcoming embrace.

"I know you want to sleep more, but Evelyn is making breakfast and then she's going to take you to the hospital. Do you want to borrow some clothes, take a shower or anything?" Jack offered, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"Clothes and a shower, sounds lovely Jack." Julia stretched and cautiously pushed herself into a sitting position as well and pulled back the blankets to slide out of his bed.

"Go ahead and hop in the shower, leave the bathroom door unlocked and I'll get you some fresh clothes and a towel okay?" Jack followed after Julia, towering over her in a t-shirt and pyjama bottoms. It's not what he would usually sleep in, but he was being considerate of Julia. Julia smiled coyly up at him, tugging on the hem of his t-shirt.

"What, you don't want to join me? I could use a little help, after all I am injured." Jack smirked at her tactless hint.

"I would love to join you, what with my mother just downstairs and all." He joked, rubbing the exposed skin of her hips with his thumbs. Julia's playful grin faded, and she looked up at him seriously.

"Will you help me rewrap my ribs and my wrist when I'm done?" She asked of him softly, Jack's smile turned into a frown at how softly she treaded around him when it came to her injuries.

"Of course, now go shower." Jack lovingly pushed Julia out of his room and stood for a moment just existing, there were no thoughts and no feelings, just breathing. When he heard the sound of the shower running down the hall, he shook off his strange numbness and pushed himself forward to collect something fit for Julia to wear. He had a few pairs of her jeans that he had kept from days where Julia had arrived needing dry clothes and a ride to her grandmother's house. She conveniently forgot her jeans in the bathroom, Evelyn would wash them and Jack would just... forget to pass them onto Julia.

Jack was certain that Julia was far from interested in wearing anything that hugged her torso too tightly. So he settled for giving her one of the shirts Bobby had sent him for Christmas that was too big for him but might just look nice and feel comfortable on Julia. That and he'd let her wear one of his hooded sweaters she loved so much.

He brought these things into the bathroom where Julia was standing under a spray of hot water, relaxing her muscles. Unfortunately the pressure of the water wasn't so pleasant as much as it was painful, but Julia gritted her teeth and stood under the spray, hoping to god that soon she would be numb.

Jack put the clothes on the counter and sighed.

"Julia, are you okay in there?" He asked, he wasn't sure if there was even soap or enough shampoo or conditioner in there for her shower. He hung up a towel on the towel rack for her to use and grabbed one for himself for later.

"It hurts." She answered truthfully, standing with her back to the spray. Jack eyed the tenser bandages that were sitting on the counter.

"Do you need me to help?" It was embarrassing, but Julia was struggling to lift her arms without the strong painful pull from her ribs. She couldn't manoeuvre as easily as she used to, and she would hate to admit this but she needed help.

"Yes." She replied meekly, crossing her arms just below her breasts to hide the most painful looking of the bruises without touching them. Jack obediently stripped down and climbed into the shower with Julia, they had stood like this once before, in Jack's bedroom. Somehow now Julia looked more reluctant and vulnerable than ever. Jack took the cloth from the towel rack and wet it, getting some soap on it and running the soapy cloth along Julia's shoulders. She couldn't resist his touch; she melted into it and found herself resting against him while he gently ran the cloth along her skin.

Her head rested against his chest, listening to his heart beating softly, calmly, over the raging stream of water pelting to the bottom of the metal tub. Softly Jack ghosted the cloth over the bruising on her back, watching the progress of his hand as it travelled lower and lower.

"Jackie, I can do that." Julia murmured, Jack nodded even though she had her eyes closed and wasn't watching him at all. Her arms were loosely wrapped around his middle and finally she pulled back.

Jack reached around Julia for the shampoo and squeezed a generous amount into his hand. Julia turned around and tilted her head back, allowing Jack to run his hands through her hair and massage her scalp.

"Ha ha, the suds are turning pink." He said, nudging Julia under the steady stream of water to rinse the shampoo out.

"It's the hair dye, its fading." Julia explained, relishing in the feel of his fingers combing through her hair to get all the soap out. Jack pulled Julia back to him and reached for the conditioner. Julia smiled when he started running it through her hair, it smelled a little like Jack. Not the usual stuff she used, but she could deal with it for a day.

Jack let the conditioner sit in Julia's hair for a moment, and took the time to observe the bruising on her face. He tilted her head into better lighting.

"Your black eye isn't so bad anymore." He commented, amazed. There was still obviously something there but it wasn't as swollen or angry as it could have been.

"Your mom put some cream on it last night, I think it helped." Julia whispered, searching Jack's eyes for some sign that he was about to go all self pity on himself. She had seen Jack in his dark place, and was always wary of his return there.

Julia leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Jack responded readily, caressing the back of her neck to elicit soft sounds of pleasure from her throat. He responded with a low guttural sound in the back of his as he fitted his other hand on her thigh and felt their bodies meld together. Her wet skin pressed to his was a sensual experience. Morning breath aside, that was one of the most memorable kisses Jack and Julia had ever shared.

He pushed her back under the spray and coaxed the conditioner from her layered locks. When that was done, Julia finished washing up while Jack started and she stepped passed him and wrapped herself in a towel while Jack continued his shower.

Julia threw on her day old underwear with a face of contempt, she shrugged it off. She would change her underwear in a few hours time. She struggled through pulling her jeans up and was about to put on the shirt Jack had given her when she remembered that he had to wrap her up again. While Jack showered he couldn't help the negativity that radiated from him.

His main thought was how Julia couldn't help him, he was fucked. He was dead.

Eventually Jack stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped a towel around his waist. He ignored his sodden state and began wrapping Julia up and then left the room, unable to be around her while he was in such a dark place. Julia was downstairs eating breakfast with Evelyn by the time Jack came bounding down the steps.

"Morning, Ma." Jack greeted, kissing her on the cheek and taking a seat next to Julia.

"Morning, Jackie. Sleep well?" She responded.

"Yeah, it was alright. When are you taking Julia for her x-rays?"

"In about an hour, do you want to come with us?" Evelyn offered, Julia stared deeply within her coffee cup, watching the liquid reflect the above lighting.

"Yeah, I guess so." Julia and Jack had never openly admitted to a relationship. They neither denied nor confirmed being together; it was just something they did. If they were open about being together it wouldn't even be a question about whether or not Jack would be going with Julia to the hospital. Of course people, like Evelyn and Mike, knew they were dating. It just wasn't the same teenage romance that most high school students had.

Jack always played it so damn nonchalant around everyone else. It was probably one of the few things that bothered Julia sometimes. She didn't want to flaunt their relationship; she didn't want to have him be all over her in public. She would just like it if he at least acted like he gave a damn around other people. Sometimes he did, but most of the time he didn't and it drove her insane.

Jack went upstairs to play his guitar before they left, and Julia talked with Evelyn downstairs while Evelyn did the dishes.

"Ms. Evelyn, Jack once mentioned to me that on some Saturdays you go and visit Bobby." Julia started after a moment of silence ensued, a perfect opening for a topic transition.

"Yes, I do." Evelyn sounded slightly suspicious.

"When is the next time you'll be going? My stepfather was in the same institute before he was released last year and he actually met Bobby. Jack talks about him all the time and I know sometimes he goes with you and I was wondering if maybe next time I couldn't go with you and meet him myself. He sounds like a very... interesting person." Julia waited anxiously while Evelyn remained silent.

"I was supposed to go today. Maybe I will, if we don't take too long at the hospital. I guess I don't really see the harm; although jail isn't really the kind of place a pretty young thing like you should be going to on the weekend."

"Ms. Evelyn, I've already been to visit Mike, multiple times. I've gone to different penitentiaries all over the state. My family isn't known for being the most lawful of citizens." Julia defended honestly.

"Alright then, maybe we'll go today." Evelyn relented, rinsing a plate in the sink. "So, he said that Bobby was an interesting person?"

"Yeah and Jack has told me hilarious stories about him. Like the time he burned down Jeremiah's tree house." Evelyn chuckled at the memory.

"Jeremiah was so angry at Bobby. I thought that he would kill him." Evelyn spoke fondly. "Did Jack ever tell you that Bobby did ballet?"

Julia cracked up despite the pain.


	7. Chapter 7

Julia's left leg bounced up and down rapidly, on the tips of her toes as she leaned back on a hard uncomfortable plastic chair. She didn't mind hospitals all that much, the rooms were decent, the food left something to be desired and the smell was rank but she really didn't mind going to the hospital. The waiting room on the other hand; pissed Julia off to no end.

There seemed to be this unwritten rule that waiting rooms had to be a place of quiet. There were bans on cellular phones and for some reason it would seem frowned upon to be blasting ones music. On top of that, there was sharing such a space with an array of patients which may or may not have some sort of deadly airborne disease. That and those whom are mortally wounded and bleeding everywhere don't exactly insight feelings of warmth and happiness. But on top of all of this, the chairs were an ugly grey, the walls were an off-white and the decor tacky.

Waiting wasn't exactly her favourite pass-time either. And waiting rooms seem to only put emphasis on how slow time seems to pass by when one is waiting for something. That and the nurses expect people bleeding to death slowly to patiently wait up to five hours for a doctor to become available to give them stitches.

Yes, Julia truly felt that hospitals weren't so bad after the initial waiting room experience.

Despite her build up of energy, Julia was more relaxed than she had ever been while in a waiting room. This was due to the boy sitting next to her with her arm wrapped around the back of her chair. Jack was twirling the ends of her hair around his fingers and observing the other patients. Julia was observing Jack, and Evelyn was watching Julia with a knowing smile, it all came full circle as an old man with an oxygen mask was checking out Evelyn.

When Jack took notice of this he gave a hardened glare to the man and his favourite one finger salute. This wasn't how he imagined spending his Saturday, but he felt like he owed it to Julia to be there. He had never offered to go with her to the doctors before, he had never wanted to. He loved her to pieces, but he didn't like going to the doctors or the hospital. It was a normal human thing, so he felt by being here it was a great show of how much he cared.

Yet Julia noticed how far he sat away from her, how their only contact was between his fingers and her hair. Evelyn was sitting closer to Julia than Jack was; it was like he was angling himself away from her. She stopped herself from getting worked up. Julia knew she was just overanalyzing everything because it's what she does. Whenever something good comes around or she gets too close to someone she becomes paranoid and a little obsessive over everything they do toward her.

She's always looking for a problem, but she never looks for the most obvious one (hello, he's been selling drugs). It's always something very little, so meticulous that no one would find it if they hadn't been searching. She was determined not to rip apart what she and Jack had. She loved him, and she wasn't going to self-destruct.

The quick light footfalls alerted Julia to tear her gaze from Jack and look at the small nurse that had taken her information.

"Julia, we're just going to have to ask you a few questions before we take your x-rays." Julia allowed her head to cock to the side curiously and gave a curt nod. The woman held a clip board and wore an unflattering green shirt and pants uniform. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun and her sparkling blue eyes looked kind while her small pink mouth was in a practiced smile.

The nurse pulled a chair up and sat down, looking to her clipboard for guidance.

"So you acquired these injuries last night?" Julia nodded, feeling queasy. "How did this happen?"

"I got jumped in the park." She said simply, blinking slowly at the nurse's surprise. She wasn't in the mood for details, bluntness would suffice.

"I see. Were there any witnesses to the attack? Are you going to file a police report?"

"I don't know."

"Well then, let's go get some x-rays done." The nurse smiled, capping her blue pen.

"Just one moment, I'd like a word." Evelyn stated as Julia stood. She found that she was a few inches taller than this dainty nurse; it was a good ego boost for the moment. That is until Jack stood up and proceeded to make Julia and the nurse look like midgets. Evelyn turned away with a knowing expression on her face to discuss some mundane topic with the nurse, giving Jack the opportunity to give Julia a lingering kiss.

She couldn't help the sigh of contentment that passed her lips when he pulled away. Jack gave her an accomplished smirk in return, to which she lightly slapped him on the arm. The nurse gathered Julia's attention and with a final wave to Evelyn and Jack, Julia followed the nurses.

"What's on your mind, Jackie?" Evelyn asked her youngest son. He looked pale and seemed to be brooding more than usual.

"I'm just remembering all the times I had to sit in the waiting room, and the questions the nurses had to ask me. They usually don't ask unless you have a record of these kinds of injuries. I was just thinking, how often has Julia come here to raise a red flag?" He admitted, looking over his mothers head.

"Hey, you look at me, Jackie. Julia isn't the most graceful girl around; I doubt it's anything serious. I think it's more to do with excessiveness of her injuries. A black eye once in a while is one thing, but a black eye, a possible broken wrist and broken ribs? It's a bit suspicious." Evelyn soothed in her special no-bullshit way.

"I guess," her son agreed evasively.

"Now Jackie, why am I getting the feeling that there is something you're keeping from me?" Evelyn questioned, sensing something deeper than what her son was confessing to.

Jack remained silent, and Evelyn chalked it up to having something to do with the not so secret relationship with Julia. Maybe he was just being worried and overprotective; or maybe his older brothers had rubbed off on him. Could her little Jackie be revenge obsessed?

Julia emerged in the waiting room playing with the hem of her shirt as she walked purposefully away from the nurse that had taken her to get x-rayed.

"Let's go," she demanded eagerly. Jack had no problems complying with his overeager girlfriend. Julia's eyes grew saddened when Jack avoided looking at her. They grew damn near tearful when he walked away from her, leaving Evelyn behind to pull together a slowly unravelling Julia.

Julia looked over at the kindly old woman and tried to put up her wall. Evelyn shook her head at the girl and Julia sighed, leaning into her side. "Do we have enough time to visit Bobby?"

"Yes, I believe so. We even have time to drop Jack off at home too." Evelyn hinted playfully, eliciting a smile and a giggle from Julia.

"No, Jack is just in one of his moods." Julia defended weakly, to which Evelyn didn't respond. She had been on the receiving end of Jack's moods many times, and she knew how much it hurt. She also doubted Julia's strength and perseverance. She knew Julia was stubborn enough to stick it out with Jack, but she was also aware of Julia's need for stability. She had enough inconsistencies in her life, it was just a matter of time before she snapped and said enough was enough.

Evelyn didn't know who would be more broken when that day came; Jack or Julia. Evelyn opened the door for Julia and helped her into the car; Jack had made a physical show of distancing himself from Julia by sitting in the passenger seat. It was all the girls had to keep from outright scowling at him. Evelyn started the vehicle up without a word and began the strange and yet familiar drive.

"Ma, where are we going? Julia's house is the other way, and you just passed our street." Jack commented, an edge of accusation to his suspicious tone.

"We aren't going home, Jackie and Julia isn't going home right now either." Evelyn stated coolly, not giving a specific answer to her son. He would put two and two together at some point.

Jack went back to brooding. His attempt at distancing himself was harder than anticipated. His attempted break up backfired. He couldn't stop thinking about Julia; and the danger he posed to her. He also couldn't stop thinking about how she was a Goddess compared to him, a lowly scum of the earth. These thoughts came often to him, and he tried to ignore it. He always knew how Julia felt about his downer days and he knew it upset her greatly.

It never stopped him and it probably never would. He had self-worth issues and though they had gotten better, he probably would never be rid of them. There were certain things he would never talk to Julia about, there were certain aspects of his life that he never wanted her to see.

They were driving toward one of these things at that very moment. Jack became more alert as he recognized the scenery. How could Evelyn do this to him? He had briefly told Julia that his brother was in jail, but to show her that? To have her see him, to talk to him, it would just be a cruel punishment.

Jack jutted out his jaw angrily and glared at the passing scenery as if they had done him a great wrong. Jack didn't mean to but he slammed the door shut with excessive force when he got out of the vehicle. Evelyn stared at her ill-tempered son a moment before shaking her head sadly. Julia on the other hand stared reproachfully at her boyfriend.

She closed her door as quietly as possible, but he still turned his furious eyes to her. She tensed and his eyes softened, he offered a hand to her that she took without a second thought.

The procedure for visiting someone at jail was the same. Walk through a metal detector, watch a video about smuggling drugs or weapons to the prisoners (no one had to watch this after the first time, since the trio had been here before), have guards open doors and walk into a waiting room while the prisoner in question is retrieved.

Julia sat on Jack's lap while they waited for Bobby to walk in from the door on the far side of the room. There was a shortage of chairs; Evelyn had the chair with the padded seat while Jack sat in a plastic chair that could be the sister of the chairs from the hospital waiting room. The difference between this room and the hospital waiting room was the amount of noise. There were rambunctious conversations at the surrounding tables, and walls painted actual colors.

A chair sat across from the awaiting trio, reserved for one Bobby Mercer. Julia's eyes were trained on the door, so when a voice addressed her boyfriend from her left, she gave a frightened and painful jump.

"Hey, little brother, when did yah get yourself a lap dog," Bobby Mercer greeted. Julia's impression of him was that he was very comfortable with himself. His brown hair was slicked back and his eyes were sizing Julia up. "Ma, it's always good to see you."

Evelyn stood to be pulled into a tight hug, Jack eased Julia off of him to receive his own man hug and then they all sat.

"Bobby, this is Julia." Jack introduced. "Julia, this is my brother Bobby."

"It's nice to finally meet you." Julia smiled a secret smile. It was hard to imagine this man in a ballet class. She gave his hand a firm shake and then leaned back into Jack to listen while the family made small talk. She hadn't figured out yet how to get rid of Evelyn so she could talk to Bobby. She also wanted to get rid of Jack, but his presence wouldn't hinder her if he stayed. Somehow, Bobby got the signal.

"Ma, could you go get me a candy bar from the vending machine?" Julia jumped on the chance.

"Ms. Evelyn, could you also get me something? I don't care what, and a drink would be splendid as well." Julia smiled impishly at the old woman.

"Can I get something too?" Jack asked his deep voice rumbling. Julia found it strange that Jack looked like he would have a much sweeter falsetto voice, while Bobby looked like the deep tenor of his baby brother would fit him like a glove.

"Oh you boys," Evelyn tried to sound annoyed but she ended up sounding more fond than ever. When she was far enough away, Bobby turned to Jack and Julia with an accusatory glare.

"Okay, what the fuck is up with this shit Jackie. You never brought a girl before, you fucking fairy."

"I didn't even know we were going." Jack snarled, his true frustrations being expressed.

"The two of you, just shut the fuck up. I don't know how long I'll have and I want to get this shit said and done now. Bobby, the deal was done the debt was paid but they fucked Jackie over. They don't want you to walk away from this shit, so they set him up on a drop and now he's ten grand in and I think it's all to get to you."

Bobby's eyes were wild with rage. Julia saw he was about to speak and she began rapidly explaining again.

"I need your help, I don't know this kind of life but I know that I can get Jack's money. We need a plan though. I may not know much but I know enough to kn

w that money or not they want to sink Jack into the river."

"You're right; they do want to get back at me. Listen, I get out soon, real soon. Have they contacted you yet about the missing goods?"

"No man, I haven't heard from anyone in that crew." Jack answered swiftly, knowing that there was no time to argue.

"Okay, nothing is gonna happen to you until they call. They want to make it look like they had a legitimate reason to hurt you. Hopefully you can arrange the drop of the money on the same day I get out and then I can be there to back you up, baby brother. But I think its best if your girl there made the drop; you know how they fucking work Jackie. You prepare her." Bobby leaned forward and began speaking more rapidly. "I'll call you on Monday around eight with more details, until then you watch your back brother. You should call Jerry too, I know he won't wanna be involved in this shit but he can help."

"Thank you, Bobby." Julia spoke sincerely, placing a hand on top of his. Bobby looked at her strangely before he nodded at her.

She cared enough for his brother, and she wasn't as fucking annoying as Angel's broads usually were.

"I like your girl, Jackie."


	8. Chapter 8

Bobby Mercer was proud of his baby brother; despite everything Jackie had been through he had become such a good kid. Well, other than the drug deals. He had even let someone in, someone outside of the family. Bobby might have been jealous of Julia when Ma was telling him all about her and Jackie, but after meeting her he was happy for his baby brother. That girl took good care of Jackie; and even if he looked angry and forlorn Bobby could tell that Jackie loved her.

And there hadn't been an ounce of judgment on her face when she talked about the situation Bobby had landed Jack in. She hadn't accused him and she hadn't screamed at him. She had spoken a language that Bobby understood; hard cold facts. She also spoke another language that Bobby was fluent in; possibilities. No one was going to tell Julia Henderson that she couldn't do it. He had faith that their currently unfinished plan would pull through.

Bobby felt like Jackie was safe even if he was locked up because Julia was out there with him. And she wasn't some well off princess either, she knew Detroit but she wasn't rough like everyone else. He saw it in her face; she had been through shit. He saw through that make up and to the shiner. But Julia was a fighter; and Bobby was glad to know that someone out there other than him, his brothers and Ma were fighting for Jack.

Julia wasn't thinking about Bobby, or even about what Bobby said. For once Jack's foul mood wasn't directly affecting her. Her mind was focused on something else entirely; something a little selfish.

She was late again, she couldn't go home. Julia anxiously wondered if Evelyn was going to bring her back to her mother's house. She didn't think she could handle Mike throwing her out of her own home again. It had been a rough twenty-four hours and all Julia really wanted was for her nerves to shut the fuck up and let her think clearly.

"Ma, Julia can't go home." Jack murmured softly to his mother. The ride henceforth had been silent other than the sound of the radio.

"I know, Jackie." Evelyn responded just as quietly. Julia wasn't oblivious to this exchange; she just chose to ignore it. If Jack was allowed to have his moods then Julia could certainly have her own. She wasn't capable of being little miss sunshine all the time; despite what most people thought. Usually Jack just had that effect on her; but when he was in a mood she quickly fell into one as well. Being peppy around someone that angry was annoying to both parties.

"Julia, dear, do you want us to bring you to your grandmother's house?" Evelyn asked loudly a few minutes later. Julia tore her eyes away from the scenery and looked at the time.

"She won't be home." She answered quietly. She didn't want to ask to go to Evelyn's. She didn't want to go home. She didn't want Jack to be angry with himself, she would rather he be angry with her.

"Do you want to come back to our house for dinner? I can drive you over after dinner or you could stay overnight again if you want." Evelyn offered generously. She wasn't running a shelter; but for Julia she would make an exception.

"I don't want to impose; dinner would be lovely though. I'd really appreciate it if you would drive me to my grandmother's house after dinner. Thank you so much for the invitation Ms. Evelyn." Julia couldn't explain how or why but she was in a state of suspension. Her words eloquently fell from her lips; sounding lifeless and yet so well-spoken. Her mannerisms were best when she was in a state of chagrin.

"Well, you're very welcome Julia." Evelyn momentarily tore her eyes off the road to stare in awe at the teen. The Mercer home was fast approaching and as the engine was killed the shrill of the telephone could be heard from the empty house. Evelyn quickly rushed to the door to answer the call while Jack and Julia followed with just as much speed.

"Hello?" Evelyn asked into the phone from the kitchen; Jack departed upstairs to his room and Julia moved toward Evelyn's voice. Her instincts told her that this phone call was somehow tied to her. "Yes, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

Julia stood still as a statue at the obvious venom and ice infused in sweet Evelyn Mercer's voice. She had never heard such a chilling sound, not even the ringing of the chain fence as Julia was shoved into it.

"Do you have any idea what your daughter has been through?" Evelyn demanded of the caller. Julia felt her heart stutter to a halt for a moment and the air seemed to run from her. She jumped when Jack tugged her into the laundry room and pressed a cordless phone between them.

"I don't believe that my daughter is any of your business," was the weak response from Julia's mother. Julia was forced to sit on the washer or dryer (she wasn't paying any attention to that; the conversation was enthralling) to be roughly the same height as Jack.

"Oh, believe me that girl is certainly my business and it will be child services business too, if you don't smarten up." Evelyn scolded.

"Just who do you think you are?" Mike demanded in place of Julia's mother.

"No, you shut up and listen to me. Because of you Julia was out alone in Detroit and not the safest part of town either. Do you want her to die? Because she could have died; she was jumped in the park and had the crap beaten out of her. She could have been raped or murdered and you know what else you asshole? She could possibly have broken her wrist and her ribs! I hope you and your wife; Julia's mother could live with that kind of guilt!"

Evelyn was really going to town on my step-father.

"Well then Julia should have learned her lesson and won't be home late ever again. I have every right to deny her presence in my home if she isn't considerate enough to arrive home in time." Mike growled in his confident way. It almost made Julia feel like she was in the wrong every time s he was late. Jack told her once that what Mike was doing to her were mind games. He was trying to flip the roles and if she let his words get to her she would be certifiably insane by the time she would be old enough to move out.

"That is bullshit! It was Julia's home far longer than it was yours. Her mother should be ashamed to let an idiot like you push her and her daughter around. Things happen; you could at least have the decency to drive her to her grandmother's house if you refuse to let her stay home instead of throwing her out in the streets because of circumstances she can't control!"

"I suggest you rethink what you say to me. I am Julia's legal guardian; not you. I pay the bills around here; Julia doesn't lift a finger or do shit to pull her weight around here. Try and control your backseat parenting. I think I know how to raise my own daughter. I mean look at your sons, where do you get off on giving out parenting advice? Your sons are all fuck ups!" Mike said calmly, too calmly. Julia shivered at his cool tone.

"If you so much as touch a hair on that young girl's head I will have you sent back to jail before you can say amen. And don't you dare speak ill of my boys; they are better men than you could ever be." Evelyn threatened coolly.

"Based on what charges Ms. Mercer? And men; your youngest is more of a girl than my poor fucking excuse of a daughter." Mike had the audacity to laugh at Evelyn.

"Negligence, verbal abuse and if there is anything else I can hit you with, so help me God, I will find it. And Jackie is sure as hell a better man for Julia to be around than you are. He wouldn't dare pull the kind of shit you do with Julia or any other woman."

"Tell Julia that she's not welcome in my house tonight and if that boy of yours cares about Julia at all he would save her the trouble and just kill himself now." There was the distinct sound of the line being disconnected. Julia felt angrier than she ever had toward Mike. For once she was happy to be thrown out of her own house; if she had to go home tonight she would probably kill her stepfather. Evelyn lost her cool and threw something against the kitchen wall; something breakable by the sound of shattering. Jack was gripping the phone so tightly that his arm was convulsing.

"Jackie," Julia whispered slowly prying his fingers off the phone. "Please calm down baby. Don't let him into your head." She tried to look into his eyes, but his hair got in the way and he was burning holes into the floor with his eyes.

Julia closed her eyes and winced when two tears bypassed her cheeks all together and landed on Jack's arm. He slowly and shakily turned his face toward his girlfriend.

"Please say something, anything." She begged him in a whisper, not bothering to fight the other tears that slid down her cheeks. She opened her hazel eyes and looked into his dark eyes; he had locked her out. "Oh god, Jackie, please tell me you'd never do that to me."

"Do what?" He asked quietly and calmly; his voice was shockingly even. Julia shivered at the sound of his deep voice. Sometimes when Jack didn't talk a lot and he spoke really quietly Julia was shocked and entranced by how deep his voice was. It was so low and absolutely sexy. It usually stunned her for a good minute; but Jack was patient and waited for her to get her bearings. He knew how it felt to be shocked; sometimes her smile still made his brain flat-line.

"You'd never kill yourself; Jack please tell me you wouldn't? I don't know what I'd do. I would cease to function. That would be like removing all the colors from the world." Julia stopped to breathe deeply and then winced when it agitated her ribs. She let it out slowly to calm herself down.

Jack didn't want to say it; he was tired and had just been given a verbal lashing. He was used to it but to be able to defend his weak heart from anymore harm he had shut himself down. Everything was a struggle and the only way he would overcome this lethargy would be to sleep it off. He wanted to reassure Julia; to tell her that he loved her too much to ever leave her alone with the likes of Mike. He was just so tired and he didn't want to say it. Talking would just take too long and he wished his bedroom was on the first floor.

Her face was close enough; he angled his mouth to hers and kissed her softly. It was like Sleeping Beauty; when his lips touched hers he woke up. His body reacted instinctively; getting between her knees and his hands gripped her hips tightly while his tongue took in the taste of her. His body yearned for her.

He was so fucking turned on right then and there. She was so soft and sweet and her hands were massaging his back. She was so warm and she was so close and he just wanted to be with her to prove that he was worthy. He wanted to show her how much he wanted to be with her; for a very long time; in a very physical sense. They so rarely were together that way; each time was so special. They never got caught up in a moment or let things get out of hand. They were together physically when there was a reason to be together. This was the first time Jack had ever felt this lustful toward Julia.

He groaned against her mouth and pressed his forehead to hers making a sad pouty face at her.

"What?" She gasped out, trying to catch her breath from the fiery kiss. Jack timidly guided her left hand down and rubbed her hand against a sudden problem that just came up without much warning. He removed her hand when the look of realization and embarrassment crossed her features. There was also this hint of satisfaction and accomplishment that were mixed in. Julia swallowed and breathed in deeply before bringing her hand back down to where Jack had previously guided it.

"Julia," Jack whimpered, pressing his face into her neck.

"Can I?" She asked him softly, not removing her hand but pulling back to look into Jack's eyes; they were much lighter than they had been before. They were alight with this crazed look that she had never seen before. Jack breathed in and out deeply and shook his head.

"No, I don't want you to do that. I-I'll take care of it... I just wanted you to know that I love you and um," Jack couldn't bring himself to tell her that she was probably the only person to be able to elicit that kind of reaction from him with just kissing. So he kissed her; hard. He hoped she understood. Jack then untangled himself from his girlfriend and realized for the first time that he was in the laundry room where his mother could have seen that whole thing without them realizing. He rushed upstairs to the bathroom, not allowing himself to linger on those thoughts for they brought on bouts of nausea that didn't mix well with the fumes of dinner.

Jack and Julia were silent during dinner and during the drive to her grandmother's house. They exchanged quick goodbyes with intense eye contact that held more meaning than the simply one syllable farewells they spoke.

Her grandmother's house was roughly the same size as the Mercer house. It had three levels, a basement, a ground floor and then a small excuse for an attic that stored family heirlooms and other junk that Julia's grandmother couldn't bear to part with. The ground floor held the kitchen, bathroom, dining room, living room, and three bedrooms. The living room and dining room weren't separated by a door or any other means; they just blended together through furniture. There was a fireplace in both the living room and downstairs in the basement. The basement served as a mini-loft with a kitchen; living room, bathroom and a spare room. On top of that there was a workshop and the laundry room.

Julia felt bad that her grandmother now lived here all alone. Julia's mother had moved out the moment she turned eighteen and a few years ago Julia's grandfather died of a heart attack. She wasn't getting any younger and she had a house to maintain. Luckily she had many siblings that had children and they visited often enough. Julia was there so often that she had her own room; the smallest room that used to belong to her mother. The loft downstairs was for Julia's aunt and uncle to live in when they first got married in high school. They moved out shortly after their first born child turned three.

Julia sighed and took the brass knocker and let it drop once. She used to just walk in when she was younger; but then again her grandmother had always been expecting her. Now Julia and her grandmother both had no idea when Julia would need to come and make use of her personal bedroom. Julia had to smile; her grandmother hated Mike more than Julia and Evelyn combined. So had Julia's grandfather; before he died he had taken away his daughters inheritance and given that to Julia on top of Julia's original share.

If Julia's grandma had it her way; Julia would be living downstairs in the loft for free. Mike wouldn't allow that and neither would Julia's mother. Julia would rather live with her grandma. Julia would willingly shave all her hair if it meant getting away from Mike and her mother.

Theresa Henderson stood now where the door had once been. Her white hair was in rollers and she wore an obnoxiously pink house coat with matching slippers. Her lined face looked stern and she had blue eyes like a hawk.

"Julia, what on earth happened to you?" Theresa asked taking in her youngest and only granddaughter's worn appearance. The main concern was the sling that the nurse at the hospital had suggested she wear. She of course ignored the advice until Evelyn had found the sling in Jack's sweater pocket and forced Julia to start using it. Julia hadn't thought about redoing the cover up on her black eye; her grandmother was probably getting an eye full of her first shiner.

"Grandma, can we talk about this inside? I really need your help. It kind of relates to what happened to me." Julia explained; taking a deep breath as her grandmother ushered her into the house.

"Do you want some tea and cookies?" Her grandmother offered while Julia made herself comfortable on the big stuffed green couch in the living room.

"No thanks grandma." Julia smiled at her grandmother's consistency. Whenever there was trouble brewing she turned to tea. Julia flicked through television channels while she waited for her grandmother to finish making her cup of tea.

Theresa came around the corner with a red mug between her two hands and sat in her wooden rocking chair; facing Julia while an aged eyebrow rose in a silent question.

"You've met my boyfriend Jack right grandma?" Julia started.

"Yes, I have. He didn't do this to you; did he?" Her grandma sounded guarded and there was a certain threatening edge to her tone.

"No! Jack would never hurt me. He's so sweet and gentle. I love him, so much. But he's in so much trouble grandma." Julia paused and gauged her grandmother's reaction.

"What kind of trouble is Jack in?" And then Julia jumped straight into it, starting with Bobby and how Jack got involved in the first place. Then she explained about the park and the warning and how these people didn't want the money, they just wanted to hurt Jack.

"Why don't you go to the police?" Her grandmother asked. This was a good question, and the answer wasn't going to hold up well.

"Because Jack would get in trouble and grandma you know Detroit. There are a lot of crooked cops out there and they aren't very good at getting the bad guys. Plus if the police were involved and they didn't get everyone involved in the operation someone could still come and hurt Jack." Julia knew she sounded desperate and panicked, because she was desperate and panicked. She desperately needed her grandmother to understand.

"Wouldn't they just hurt Jack even if he got the money?" Her grandmother asked evenly, but without the guarded suspicion.

"Well you see we kind of have this plan. But I kind of need the money, and I can't access the money grandpa left me without written consent. I need your permission to extract some money."

"You want me to write you a written consent to take ten grand out of the trust fund? How will we explain what this money is for? You know if your mother and Mike find out they are going to do something horrible and demand to know where that money went. You also know that they really want that money, don't you?"

"I thought about this, you know the classic car that grandpa had and is in storage right now? What if I took out the money and said I was buying myself a car? Then you could give me grandpa's old car and then everyone will think that I bought it and that explains where the money went." Julia explained her plan quickly, scrutinizing every last detail of her grandmother's face.

"I'm not sure; this money is for your future." Theresa licked her lips nervously. Julia could get really offended by this next question. "Do you think that Jack is really worth it?"

Julia stood up straight the resolve set in her posture. The conviction was in her eyes and Theresa was reminded that young love did exist.

"Yes, grandma, he is worth every penny."

* * *

**I know that whole laundry room thing seemed irrelevant but it's a set up for a later chapter. I needed to demonstrate Jack's discomfort with these kinds of acts. What do you guys honestly think of this story? I'm sorry I haven't been able to update frequently. :( **


	9. Chapter 9

Julia was home bright and early on Sunday morning, six in the morning to be specific. Her grandmother was notorious for being an early riser. Julia had trouble finding a comfortable position to sleep in and decided to get up with her grandmother instead of sleeping in. Her grandmother then suggested they go to a twenty-four hour diner for breakfast. After that Julia's grandmother just decided to drop her off at home.

Mike hadn't been too happy when he answered the door and saw Julia there slurping a Pepsi flavoured slush drink. Mike didn't work on the weekends and was always very irritable when he had to be up before he was ready to be.

Julia thought that her grandmother purposely brought her over obscenely early to get on Mike's nerves. Her mother had gotten up with her husband when he answered the door and started making breakfast; which Julia declined and headed up to her room.

Her mother turned the other cheek and didn't bother asking about the black eye or the slow and careful movements of her daughter. She already knew what happened and she was too embarrassed by what Evelyn had said to her to talk to Julia about any of it. That was fine with Julia, she was so sick of talking about it.

Like the good student she was Julia immediately began to do her homework while the sounds of Death Cab for Cutie played softly in the background. Julia lived in her house like she was a ghost. Mike and her mother pretty much ignored her existence as long as she wasn't in their way and she was quiet. Things used to be so different; this house was once a home to her. She and her mother used to do things together and have one day a week to be mommy daughter day.

Now it was like Julia was just staying here. Yes they included her in meals; but they were tense and often Julia just ate in her room. Mike allowed her too and her mother tried to protest but Mike usually got what he wanted and he wanted Julia to go away. In his eyes she was just someone that stayed there. He was her mother's life now; not Julia.

Julia wasn't even allowed to answer the door or the phone. If Mike was home he was the only one allowed to answer the door or the telephone. He felt that in Detroit and as a family man (okay, a husband, he didn't want Julia to be his family but dealt with her anyway) it was better if the men of the house always answered the door in case of some sort of threat. The only time Julia was allowed to answer the phone or the door was when Mike was busy (like taking a shit) or he was at work.

She technically wasn't supposed to when Mike wasn't at home but she did it anyway because unlike most people Julia always checked the peep hole to see who it was. Usually it was Jack and she felt no harm in letting him into her house.

So when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs she didn't move or even twitch. She wasn't even curious to who it could be. She just kept reading _Hamlet_ for English class.

"What the hell are you listening to?" Jack asked as he shut her door. Julia's mother knew that Julia and Jack wouldn't do anything with Mike in the house. Mike just didn't care but occasionally he would pop in just to tear into Jack. He had picked up a few choice names for Jack from Bobby; Jack hated Mike for it. It was one thing when his brother made fun of him but another when his girlfriend's stepdad was calling him gay.

"It's Death Cab for Cutie." Julia answered distantly, focusing on finishing the last line on the page before turning her attention to the boy standing in the middle of her bedroom. Julia tossed the book to the side and sat up with a grimace. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Jack shrugged and leaned over Julia to give her a lingering kiss. Julia made a noise of protest when he pulled away eliciting a chuckle from the boy. He motioned with his hand for her to move over and she shuffled to the side of her double bed and nearly cracked her elbow against the wall. Jack lay on his side and draped an arm over her stomach and lovingly nuzzled her neck with his nose. Julia let out a sound of contentment and snuggled closer to her boyfriend.

"Did you get the money?" He whispered after a few minutes of cuddling.

"Yeah, I'm going to go to the bank after school tomorrow to process the cheque but it'll take a few days to process. H-have they contacted you yet?"Julia asked just as quietly. Jack nodded and shut his eyes letting out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Julia stroked his cheek softly with her thumb and Jack leaned into her touch.

Julia had seen it before he closed his eyes; the fear and worry in them. She had found her answer to her earlier question; she knew why Jack came here. He wanted to feel safe and loved and he wanted comfort. She could give him all of that and more.

"I'll pay you back." He murmured softly, opening his eyes to show the resolve in them.

"No Jackie, don't worry about it. You do so much for me and you don't even see it." Julia whispered urgently, pressing her forehead to his. Jack reacted on impulse and caught her lower lip between his teeth and nibbled it for a moment. Julia let out a low whimper in the back of her throat that made Jack smirk.

Julia made to protest when he pulled away but when he started sucking on her neck right below her ear it faded into a happy sigh and then turned to a moan. His lips ghosted along her skin and then she let out a muffled groan as his tongue flicked her ear lobe. Julia stuffed her fist into her mouth to keep herself quiet as Jack's teeth lightly pinched her ear lobe in succession.

"I love you." He breathed his warm breath hitting the shell of her ear. He then lowered his head to her shoulder and allowed her to unwind. Eventually Julia picked up her _Hamlet_ playbook and began reading where she left off. All the while Jack was smirking in self-satisfaction as her heavy breathing and increased heart race slowed. He too found pride in eliciting these responses in Julia. Wordlessly he took her hand in a loose grip and allowed her to continue reading while he played with her fingers. Julia tried to ignore his distracting nature.

"So what time is your doctor's appointment tomorrow?" Jack finally asked; breaking their twenty minute silence.

"It's at half past three; why?" Julia responded; focused more on her reading than her boyfriend.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Julia paused her reading and thought about what Jack was asking.

"I'd like that, if you promise me it won't put you in one of your moods. I don't want to deal with you being all distant with me." Julia commented speaking in a normal volume for the first time since Jack had joined her on her bed.

"I promise." Jack whispered before placing multiple open mouthed kisses to her collarbone. He stopped and nuzzled her collarbone with his nose before he asked his next question. "You'll be there when Bobby calls right?"

Julia had almost forgotten about the older Mercer brother and their plan. The plan that was barely a plan but she played a key role in; the plan that only seemed to have elements and no real idea of what is going to happen.

"What did they say when they talked to you?" Julia asked carefully; wary of Jack's reaction to her prying.

"I got two weeks to either find the stuff or come up with the money. That's pretty damn generous for them; I think they like playing games." Jack spoke quietly but not at a whisper anymore. The intimacy of the situation had been defused by the seriousness of the topic.

"I think they only like playing games that they rig so that they'll win. Too bad they didn't think it through well enough to see me coming." Julia joked and Jack gave a shaky laugh.

"To be fair; I don't think Bobby saw you coming either."

"Did you see me coming?" Julia asked playfully; albeit a little flirtatiously.

"No, you came up from behind." Jack joked.

"Taken out of context this conversation could so be the dialogue for a porno movie." Julia commented causing Jack to chuckle.

"It's a little disturbing that my girlfriend has the mind of a seventeen year old boy." He teased, blowing on her neck making Julia fidget.

"And it's a little disturbing how my boyfriend spends more time getting ready in the more than any seventeen year old girl I know." She reciprocated the playful banter. Jack suddenly sighed and the playful mood seemed to filter out of Julia's room.

"It's too bad this won't last." Jack commented softly.

"What won't last?" Julia questioned her boyfriend slightly fearful. He was bordering on one of his distant moods.

"Today, every day eventually ends and so will this one. I missed this you know? It feels like it's been too long since we've been able to just be playful with each other and not worry about all these threats. And it sucks because it won't last because tomorrow will come and so will school and the doctors and the bank and the reality that we're stuck in the middle of a drug deal that went wrong."

Julia sighed knowing that Jack was right. Tomorrow was not going to be fun.

"Let's leave tomorrow for tomorrow and live for today." She declared; tossing her copy of _Hamlet_ to the side.

The rest of the afternoon was full of laughter and teasing as well as many sweet kisses. It was a day that Jack and Julia both desperately needed with each other.


	10. Chapter 10

Jack was overly protective of Julia that Monday morning. He was shadowing her and scowled at anyone that dare look in their direction. He carried her books and bag and walked her to every class. He made sure she didn't do anything to further harm herself. He confronted anyone that dare suggest he hit his girlfriend.

He didn't understand how they figured out she had a black eye in the first place. When he had met up with her in the parking lot he couldn't even tell she had one; it was covered up with makeup. Julia was quite disheartened by everything. She never wanted to be one of those girls that people whispered about. She didn't want to be that girl that everyone thought was stupid.

She didn't want to be like her mother and stay with a man that hit her. And she wasn't like that, Jack wasn't a violent person. It was a front and a reputation he didn't earn. Sure Jack could be mean but he was rarely physically violent; especially not toward women. He had a bit of an aversion to violence but Julia would never say any of this. Let them think what they like; Jack loved her and she loved him. They both knew where the bruising came from.

Several times she had to tell girls off for spreading rumours but Jack usually beat her to it. It was a world of trouble and she had to calm him down several times lest he get sent to the principal's office. If he reacted the way the student body wanted him to it would only prove them right and Jack would appear to be a monster. Julia would never stand by that, so she would grip his hand and pull him close to her. Firmly she'd tell Jack to look at her and then she would tell him that she loves him and to walk away because she needed him to be there with her.

They managed to make it to the end of the school day without too many altercations. Jack and Julia waited for the bus that would take them deeper into Detroit and closer to Julia's doctor. Jack automatically let Julia sit next to the window and he took the aisle seat. He did this for two reasons: one was that Julia liked the window seat and two if anything happened he wanted to be able to protect her.

Oh and the third less important reason that Jack didn't know what stop was closest to her doctor. Julia leaned into Jack's side and watched the city moving; constantly in motion. The bus driver was not too kind with his punching the accelerator and slamming the brakes. She became jostled and was thankful when they were getting off the bus.

Jack instinctively placed his arm around Julia's shoulders to pull her close to him. His eyes observed the street and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he noticed some people he knew. Some were buyers, others were dealers and some were just kids that Jack had been in a home with. None of the kids from the homes ever talked to Jack unless they needed money.

The buyers watched him curiously but didn't approach but the dealers nodded at him with a threatening smirk. He tightened his hold on Julia and leaned over to get a whiff of her citrus scent. It always calmed him down.

Julia pulled back a glass door on a rundown building and walked up to the peeling counter. The secretary hung up the phone and looked at her through the glass.

"Julia Henderson." Julia rarely sounded timid; but she did just in that moment. The woman looked through a pile of folders on the desk and found the right one.

"Same place of residence and phone number?" The woman asked, giving Jack the up and down glance of distaste.

"Yes, everything is the same." Julia responded quietly.

"Please take a seat in the waiting room." This waiting room had chipped yellow paint embellishing the walls and at the far end of the room there was a play area for children. There were a few children in there now; the rest of the room was filled with the elderly.

Moments later a nurse rounded the corner with a folder in her hand. "Julia Henderson?" She read off of it. Jack stood up and helped Julia rise slowly and followed the nurse. She walked briskly ahead of them down blue tiled flooring and didn't check to see if they were following. She slid the folder into a slot and opened the door for the two teens.

She gave them a suspicious look before asking them: "And what will we be doing for you today, Ms. Henderson?"

"We're looking at some x-rays." Jack answered rudely, so Julia slapped his chest lightly. He captured her hand and kissed it before letting it drop to her side. The nurse had an expression of awe on her face before she grinned.

"The doctor will be right with you."

And she shut the door behind her, Julia rounded on Jack with a glare. "Why were you acting like a dick?"

"Well because I was with you she was looking at us like I got you pregnant or something. She started it, Jules." Julia rolled her eyes and stepped onto the stool and then slowly sat herself down on the examination table.

Jack sat on a stool next to the table and leaned up to kiss her cheek. "Don't be angry." Julia let out a huff and leaned down carefully to kiss Jack on the cheek. She let out a gasp of pain as she straightened up and Jack had half risen from the stool at the sound. The sound of the door opening had him falling back onto the stool but did not take his concerned gaze from his girlfriend.

"Hello Julia, I'm Dr. Morrison and I have your x-rays here from the hospital. And who might this young man be?" Dr. Morrison was a dark haired young man with a yellowing smile and crow's feet at the corner of his cold blue eyes. He turned away from the two teens to clip the x-rays onto the wall above a light so that they could see the picture better.

"This is my boyfriend, Jack Mercer." Dr. Morrison paused at Jack's surname and turned with a slightly more reserved face. Jack was used to this; his brothers were a little notorious. Jack doubted he had done anything to this doctor.

"Well, as you can see here there aren't any breaks, just a small fracture here. It should heal on its own, wrapping your chest would be a good idea for a few months. Take it easy; no strenuous lifting or a lot of physical activity. No contact sports and I advise your boyfriend there to be careful about how you two are intimate together. Do you need a note for school?"

"Yes please, I have gym class." Julia responded politely but her face was so obviously flushed. The doctor penned a quick note and handed it to Julia. "I would suggest you come back to see me in two weeks so we can check on your progress. If you're in a lot of pain you can take regular Tylenol." Then he left, just like that.

Jack helped Julia down from the observation table and guided her out of the hall and back to the front desk. Julia quietly made another appointment for two weeks; after school. When they were outside the building and walking toward the bank Julia stopped and tugged on Jack's hand so that he was standing pressed up against her.

Her eyes were smouldering with unadulterated passion. "Jack Mercer, you better be there with me at that doctor's appointment in two weeks. So help me, if you aren't and something happens to you I'll never forgive you."

Jack knew what Julia meant as she craned her neck to look up at him. He wrapped his arms loosely around her and leaned his forehead onto hers. He would promise her but what good is a promise when he can't control whether or not it gets broken? After a moment Jack lifted his head and Julia surreptitiously wiped tears from her face and continued down the street with her boyfriend toward the bank.

"You have the note and the cheque right?" Jack asked anxiously. There wasn't any point to going into the bank if they didn't have what they needed.

"It's in my bag, front pocket." Jack slid Julia's bag from his shoulder and unzipped the front pocket. True to her word there was a sealed envelope that he knew had the note from Julia's grandmother and the cheque.

"Should I come with you?" Jack asked, unsure. Julia smiled up at him and nodded.

"You're stuck with me, Mercer." She teased, lining up behind the two other patrons waiting for a teller to be available.

It seemed to take forever; the silence felt stifling. Finally a smiling blond teller was free; she wore a dark shade of lipstick that washed her face out and took attention away from her beautiful brown eyes.

Wordlessly Julia slid the envelope to the teller; she opened the envelope with a letter opener that bore the bank emblem. Her eyes darted from side to side as she raked over the content of the letter and the cheque.

"Come with me, please." The teller lifted the counter and led Jack and Julia to the offices and opened one of them. She gestured the two teens inside and they took the wooden chairs in front of a mahogany desk. The teller, Lisa, sat on the other side in the cushioned high back chair.

"This letter from one Theresa Henderson states that she is giving you permission to extract then thousand dollars from your inheritance so that you can purchase a car. What kind of car do you need that costs ten thousand dollars?" Lisa asked, zipping her fingers together.

"When my grandpa was my age he had this classic car and he was terribly upset when he had to sell it. I found an exact replica; it could even be the same car. The owner said he'd only part with it for ten grand and it has such sentimental value to both me and my grandmother." Jack was impressed; Julia was very persuasive.

"But why cash? Why not just write the guy a cheque?"

"He wanted it in cash. Think about it; if a teenage girl wanted to buy your car and she gave you a cheque and then something seriously screwed up happened with the money wouldn't you be a little ticked?" Lisa looked a little resigned.

"If everything checks out you can come and get the money on Thursday. If you leave me your phone number I will call you to let you know if we run into any problems or there is a delay." Lisa said not unkindly.

"Okay, thank you." Julia shook Lisa's hand and Jack followed her lead and then left with her.

Lisa sat in the office at the bank with a repulsed look directed at her hand. That boy had very sweaty palms.


	11. Chapter 11

Jack and Julia sat nervously on Jack's bed with the cordless phone in between them. Jack had his chin resting on his curled fingers and was burning a hole into the telephone with the intensity of his stare. Julia on the other hand was alternating between tugging at her hair and chewing on her thumbnail.

"You know what would make this a whole lot less tense?" Julia asked Jack rhetorically.

Jack made a sound in the back of his throat that meant he wanted to know what.

"I guarantee that if we were making out right now instead of staring at the phone we'd both be relaxed and the phone would ring faster." Jack looked up at his girlfriend and let out a loud guffaw at her.

"You really are one in a million; you know that?" He asked her with a good natured grin.

"I've been told once or twice. I was serious by the way." Julia went as far to do an over exaggerated wink at Jack and then wiggle her finger in a come-hither fashion. Jack playfully growled at her and pretended to bite the air in front of her face.

Just then the phone shrilled and both teens were on it like white on rice. Jack answered with the accustomed; "Mercer house."

"You fuckin' Fairy I can't believe you answer the phone that way." Bobby's unique voice flitted into the air where Julia could hear.

"Bobby, do you have a plan?" Jack asked eagerly and Julia nestled herself in between Jack's body and his arm so he was cradling her to his side. Absently he rubbed her back and listened to Bobby.

"Yeah, Jerry agreed to help by being your wheels and my back up. You got a call now from the gang?"

"Yeah they gave me two weeks from Sunday."

"Great, I get out on Friday before that gives me enough time to get some business done before coming down to save your ass. Look you can't make the drop they'll shoot you on the spot. Julia or Jerry is our options but Jerry has a family now. We can't ask him to do that; I don't want my niece to grow up without a father."

"No fucking way in hell Bobby. Julia has done way too much for me already." Jack shot down the idea vehemently. Julia was curious now and pulled the phone away from her boyfriend easily.

Bobby was yelling profanities at who he assumed was his little brother.

"Bobby chill out, it's Julia. What isn't Jack going to let me do?"

"Jackie won't let you make the drop. If he walks in there he ain't walking out again Julia."

"Well as much as your brother thinks he can stop me he really can't."

"Wow, you wear the pants in the relationship. I guess Jackie don't mind wearing the skirts ha ha." Bobby chuckled at his own joke. Julia rolled her eyes at Bobby but none the less continued to plan with him and Jack, though Jack was in a foul mood for the rest of the fifteen minute conversation.

Jack pulled Julia into his arms after they hung up with Bobby and buried his face into her neck. Neither one spoke for a few moments.

"Do you know how many things can go wrong with one of Bobby's plans?" Jack asked seriously. Julia shook her head; she had just met the aforementioned Mercer brother. She had never experienced one of his harebrained schemes first hand like Jack and Jeremiah had. "It's too risky, Jules."

"You're worth every risk, Mercer." She told him seriously and Jack was afraid because he knew the steely tone of Julia's. There was no winning against her when she had her mind set. He decided to save himself the energy and just drop the subject. "So what kind of business does a guy like Bobby have?"

Jack chuckled. "He's the kind of business man that deals in guns and hookers."

"Interesting; do you think he could get me a discount on a male stripper for my twenty-first birthday?"

"You better not have a male stripper for your twenty-first birthday. If anyone is going to be stripping that day it's me." Jack joked happy for the change of subject.

"Hell no, you're going to jump out of my cake naked."

"What about on my birthday? Will you jump out of a cake naked for me?" Jack asked with a sly grin.

"I'll do it as long as no one else is around. You're the only boy allowed to ogle my goodies." Julia said with all seriousness.

"Ogle your goodies? Oh wow, never say that again." Jack teased and nipped at Julia's ear.

"How come it's so easy to forget that we're in so much trouble?" Julia asked once the giggling lovers had calmed down.

"I think it's just you. You always put me in a good mood." Jack told her honestly.

"I'm glad. I was starting to think that everyone I was around was meant to brood and be all angry faces all the time."

Jack knew how Julia felt. That's how he felt in the system in his foster homes. No one seemed happy. Julia made Jack happy and he hoped he made her happy. He must if she's doing all of this.

Jack wanted to groan at the idea of his girlfriend entering that cesspool. He never wanted anyone as sweet and innocent as Julia to get involved in this type of thing. She had the potential to be so much more than what Detroit was offering her. She was worthy of so much more than what Jack could give her.

"Stop that." Julia said without looking at him. It amazed him how she could just tell what he was thinking when half the time he couldn't decipher his own thoughts properly.

"Sorry," he muttered not feeling truly remorseful.

"Jackie, when are you ever going to get it? You've given me the three things I've been denied; the three things I need to thrive. You give me love and attention; and you give me a reason to smile. That's all I need."

"For now," Jack added ominously.

"Maybe," Julia agreed. She would promise Jack forever if she could; but she didn't like to make promises she might not be able to keep.


	12. Chapter 12

Julia pulled down the pink skirt and yelped as her backside was nearly exposed. She tugged the fabric of her tank top down and tried to cover as much skin as possible with the little fabric she was wearing. Where Jack had managed to find a hot pink mini skirt Julia didn't want to know. Her navel was fully exposed and the little breasts she had to work with were practically popping out of her top.

Jack watched his girlfriend pace in the clothes she was obviously uncomfortable in. Her legs appeared to last for days until they reached the skirt and if she bent over too far in any direction her thong would be revealed. Jack had some fun with dressing Julia; if all went well he would be having a lot of fun with this outfit.

The duffel bag filled with cash was sitting next to the toilet where Jack was perched. There wasn't a lot of room in the bathroom but Julia made due with the space she had. She started to shiver each time she neared the window.

"Baby, relax. You're making me more nervous." Jack's deep voice resonated distracting her. He held her hands out as an invitation and Julia collapsed into him and buried her nose into his neck. Jack rubbed her back in calming circles and felt her trembling.

Jeremiah wasn't due at the Mercer household for another thirty minutes; Jack knew that Julia had a slight preparation problem. She was almost obsessive compulsive about being ready early. When it came to something as important as this Jack was actually thankful for his girlfriend being slightly neurotic. Calming her down took away the focus to his panic and nerves.

"Jules, I don't know if I told you this before but.... Marshall is probably going to make a power play." Jack spoke uncomfortably.

"What the hell is a power play?" Julia asked stubbornly.

"It's like, asserting his chain of command. You might have to blow him."

"Blow him? Jack! I've never given anyone a blowjob before." There was a timid vulnerability in her voice. This was uncomfortable for Jack and Julia; Jack had never ever asked his girlfriend to engage in that conduct. The thought was too awkward for the two. Not to mention that it was just a forbidden subject for the two.

"He's not going to make you do it for long; Marshall doesn't even like blow jobs. You'll just have to stick his dick in your mouth and then he'll probably shove you off." Jack tried to sooth though he didn't much like the conversation either.

"Did you have to blow him?" Julia asked with obvious contempt. Jack's silence was answer enough; Julia felt suddenly nauseous with the realization that there was a lot more to Bobby's gay jokes than she had realized. Julia hid her grimace in a glare filled with raw determination.

"Take off your pants," she commanded and Jack looked at her wide eyed. He would never get a girl to do that to him; or anyone for that matter. He hated oral sex and Julia knew that.

"No way, I'm not making you do that to me!"

"You're not making me do anything, I want to do it. I trust you beyond words, Jack, if I give anyone a blowjob and an inexperienced one at that; it's going to be you."

"Well, I don't want one from you!" He shouted a little too loudly to be considered kind. Julia reeled back as if he had struck out at her. The sting of rejection hurt more than the fractured ribs ever had. Julia slipped on her heels (which she claimed weren't practical; she could barely walk let alone run if things were to go badly) and walked out of the Mercer bathroom.

"Jules, come on baby, I didn't mean it like that!" Julia ignored Jack and focused her energy on not crying; it would only ruin her makeup. Thankfully at that moment Jerry pulled up in front of the house and honked his horn twice so Julia had somewhere she could actually run to. She ignored the pain in her still healing ribs and made a dash out the door leaving Jack behind to grab the duffel bag.

Julia took the front seat and leaned toward the heater. She didn't look at Jack or at Jerry while they drove. Her stomach was making sounds of protest as they neared their destination. The warehouse district of Detroit was ugly as hell, but Julia and the two Mercer brothers she was with were used to the scenery by now.

Jeremiah pulled over as close to the dreary sidewalk as possible and with one deep breath Julia prepared to open the door. She reached back into the car for the duffel bag by Jack's feet.

"Jules, wait." Jack begged and soon he was climbing out of the backseat into the cool Detroit air that Julia was suffering through.

"Jack man, what the fuck are you doing? Get your ass back in the car!" Jeremiah yelled slamming a hand onto the steering wheel.

Julia turned to face him with a look of deep sadness in her eyes that made Jack whimper before he gripped her face in his warm hands. He touched his forehead to hers and swallowed hard when her fingers curled around his wrist.

"I love you, be safe okay? I love you, I love you so much." Julia was at a loss by this vulnerable declaration and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly and vowed not to cry. Jack pressed a desperate and chaste kiss to her lips filling it with as much emotion as he could in that brief moment.

He gently pressed the heavy bag into her hands and watched as she walked carefully to the building that was indicated. Windows were smashed in and it looked ready to collapse at any moment. Jack and Jeremiah watched as her meek footsteps transformed into a sexy sashay by the time she had crossed the road. The duffel bag was thrown over her shoulder and the way she was swivelling her hips was alluring.

Julia strutted into the building that appeared abandoned. Somehow she had found it in herself to embrace her outer appearance. She was no longer the timid music geek and social outcast from school; she was in control and knew she was hot. The only thing that had changed was that she acted like she had confidence.

She went over the directions Jack had drilled into her brain and let her feet guide her to the correct room. She stepped through a decrepit door way and observed the room. She was in the heart of the building by now and it was like Jack had said. There was a portable heater in the corner and a shitload of wires and cords crossing each other on the dusty ground.

There were girls dressed similarly to her sitting on the laps of boys that thought they were men. They observed Julia with scepticism and obviously thought her to be beneath them. They coolly looked away and focused on the laps they occupied. Not a moment had gone by before Julia felt a barrel of a gun pressed to her neck. She didn't flinch or even acknowledge the weapon.

Her gaze focused on the African American man that sat in a worn out overstuffed chair in the middle of the room. In front of him was a table where baggies of white powder and rolled joints sat. Sitting at the table were multi-cultural workers adorning tattoos and either working with the drugs or counting up money.

The man in the chair observed Julia with half lidded eyes, dark in color. He sat up a little straighter and lifted a hand embellished with gleaming rings. The person with the gun pressed the barrel harder into Julia's neck.

"What you want, bitch?" He demanded in a gruff voice. Julia's expression didn't change but she lifted her head a little higher and didn't speak to the person behind her, but to the man in the chair.

"I'm delivering the money on the behalf of Jack Mercer." The room erupted into laughter at her statement.

"Little Jackie sent his bitch to do his work?" The man in the chair asked sending the room into more laughter.

"Despite who delivers it the money is good." Julia dropped the duffel bag with a resounding thud on the floor sending up dust into the air. This silenced the room. Marshall, the man in the chair stood abruptly and began to play with his belt.

"Bitch, you ought to show me some fucking respect, get your cottage cheese ass over here and blow me." Julia's arms were gripped and she was unceremoniously thrown on her knees in front of Marshall. Her face contorted into disgust as he forced himself into her mouth. It was over just like that; after a brief pause to show the room that Jack Mercer's bitch was on her knees in front of him he removed himself.

Julia resisted the urge to swallow the putrid taste in her mouth and was lifted onto her feet by Marshall. He showcased her to the room and then tossed her into a folding metal chair.

"You sit your ass down here while we count the money to make sure this is legit. Then if it is you can go; but if it isn't your brains will be all up on my wall and your boy will have to lick it off and make this shit shine."

The bag of money was overturned onto the table and Julia sat with her arms crossed. Of course he would sit her down in the chair furthest away from the heater. Now all there was to do was wait on Bobby, Jack and Jeremiah.

Julia counted how many of the people carried weapons. It was pretty much all of them; she started to doubt Bobby's planning skills. With nothing better to do Julia began to think of how Jack and Jerry were feeling out in the car... with the heater.

Jack was a ball of nerves; his clenched fist was pressed to his mouth and he barely blinked as he stared intently at the door Julia had disappeared into.

"How long has she been in there?" Jack asked, removing his fist only long enough to voice his question.

"Half an hour, relax Jackie. We'd know if something went wrong." It was true; there was no music to distract Jack because they wanted to be able to hear Julia if she screamed or if there was gunfire. Jack didn't think this was a great plan because it wouldn't take them long to shoot Julia at all. Any plan with the chance of Julia getting shot was a shitty one.

"When is Bobby going to get here?" Jack asked again.

"I don't know, man. He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago." Jerry was obviously frustrated. Julia was a nice girl and he didn't like the idea of her being in there anymore than Jack did.

Five minutes passed before Bobby's shitty car pulled up behind Jeremiah's nicer car. Jack and Jerry let out identical sighs of relief and got out of the vehicle to meet up with Bobby at his trunk. He popped it open and pulled out three red cans and then one gun that he looked at with the upmost adoration.

"Let's do this, boys!" Bobby shouted and shoved a red can into each of his brothers' hands. They took off at a run and began splashing gasoline on the old warehouse. They met back around front and Bobby silently counted to three before he began to storm the building. Jerry waited by his car while Jack stood on the sidewalk anxiously.

Julia sat up straighter as she heard what no one else did; the approach of Bobby Mercer. He fired one shot into the ceiling and dumped a red canister filled with gasoline all over the floor. For extra effect he tossed some of the clear and odourless liquid onto some of the people. He then flicked on his lighter.

"Hi guys, it's been a while. How about we let the nice little girl go and we settle this shit like men? If not I can drop this lighter and fry your asses like the chicken shits you are."

No one really argued with Bobby Mercer; he was too reckless and unpredictable. It went unsaid that if anyone took a shot at Bobby then the lighter would fall and everyone would be barbequed.

"You Mercer's can have your bitch back. She was a fucking bad fuck anyway." Marshall talked big like he was in the position of power which he usually was; right now Julia felt like Bobby Mercer held all the power and so Marshall better shut the fuck up.

"You heard the bitch, Julia, go home." Bobby dismissed her and Julia walked as quickly as she could in her heels. She ended up sprinting clumsily outside and straight into Jack. He embraced her briefly and dragged her by the arm to Jerry's car.

In the car Julia let out all the emotions she had held at bay. She cried and let Jack hold her and rock her back and forth until she was calmed down. He didn't understand a word she was trying to say and Julia didn't mind. She was hysterical by the time they were nearing the Mercer house and it was only when they were in the driveway that she calmed down.

"Take care of your girl, Jack. Make sure Bobby calls me when he gets back so I know that he's okay, alright? I'll call you if he calls me so you don't worry. Julia, you did amazing girl. It's all going to be okay now." Julia nodded like she believed him.

Jack and Julia walked hand in hand up to the front door of the Mercer home in silence. It was only when they stepped into the foyer that Julia spoke.

"So, New York huh?" Jack looked bemused at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, New York."

* * *

Want an epilogue? Let me know!


	13. Epilogue

"Listen lady, I think you're in the wrong neighbourhood. A sweet little thing like you has no business in this part of Detroit." Bobby Mercer wasn't usually this nice to people, but this girl looked lost and there were plenty of guys out on the streets right now that would take advantage of that.

"Bobby," his name fell from her downturned lips in a weak monotone. He quirked an eyebrow in response, he would remember if he ever fucked this chick, she had something about her.

"Who the fuck is asking?" The young girl took a shaky deep breath and approached the construction site that used to be Evelyn Mercer's home.

"We only met twice, once when you were in jail and once when you showed up to blast those motherfuckers that wanted to h-hurt Jack. I-I'm J-Jack's ex-girlfriend... Julia H-Henderson."

Bobby recoiled in shock, she had seemed familiar but holy shit had she changed. Julia was now a brunette and lacked the cast she had on her wrist on the two occasions she had met him. Bobby seemed to deflate before Julia's eyes. He knew why she was there and he felt sorry for her. He had liked her and he had liked how she kept Jack in line. He hadn't kept Jack safe for her, he had failed her and buried his brother two days ago.

"Shit Julia, I'm sorry."

"I don't care. Did you get them Bobby? Did you get those fuckers?" Her sadness fell away and hardened into anger, something Bobby admired about her.

"Yeah, Jules, we got them."

Five days ago Jack Mercer had still be alive and at his mother's funeral. He released his nerves by jumping on the spot. It wasn't because he was cold; he had spent plenty of time in the cold Detroit air, not to mention lived through a New York winter with the heat shut off. He was jumping out of nerves, and for the sake of something to do. No one was going to be calm and collected after their mother's funeral, not even Jack could pull that off.

He was also on high alert for any sign of her. She should have been here, with him, because Evelyn had meant so much to them. She wouldn't skip Evelyn's funeral, that wasn't Julia, she wasn't disrespectful. She especially didn't disrespect the dead.

Bobby clapped him on the back and led the way to Jeremiah's house. Jack stayed mostly silent, observing the crowds. God, he hadn't seen her in well over a year. The last he had heard, she had her hair a nice shade of bubble gum pink. Someone with that color hair should stand out.

"Jackie, can I talk to you?" Jeremiah asked, putting a firm hand on Jack's shoulder before Jack walked too far into his house.

"Sure, Jerry," Jack mumbled and allowed his elder brother to lead him up the stairs. Jerry stopped in front of a white wooden door and twisted the brass knob before pushing the door in, and tugging Jack in afterward. It took a moment for Jack to regain his footing and not face plant onto the bed where a giant basket wrapped in cellophane.

"Thanks, but you really shouldn't have?"

"Man, read the card, read the card." Jeremiah gestured to the basket. After a moment of searching the basket, Jack located a small card.

"Dear Jerry, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm also sorry that I can't be there for you and your family. Give me a call if you need anything. Love, Jules." Jack read aloud. "She's not here."

"No, man, Julia isn't here. She hasn't been back to Detroit in two years."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked trying to hide his disappointment. He didn't want people to know how much this was truly bothering him.

"Because I saw her man, I barely recognized her when I did. I've never seen the girl looking so normal or well put together. I was on my way to Ma's house and I see this girl standing on the lawn making a huge fuss. I looked closer and saw that Julia's mom and step-dad were in the door and yelling back. So I unrolled my window. You should have heard it. Julia was finally giving it to her mother. She was saying shit like: "I'm your fucking daughter, treat me like it. You're living under the reign of a controlling husband and you won't find any sympathy from me when he starts beating the shit out of you. It's either me or him." And well you know how Jules's mom is."

"That's my girl," Jack murmured in pride with the ghost of a crooked smile.

"I pulled up and asked her if she wanted a ride to Ma's. We all spent Thanksgiving together; it was the year you were supposed to come down. Julia was real sad about it man, real sad. She gave Ma and me her new number but said she probably wouldn't ever come back to Detroit again. She's in Arizona you know, living with her new boyfriend."

Jack wanted to tell Jerry to shut the fuck up because their mother died. He didn't need to be reminded of all the times he was supposed to see Julia and ended up not being able to. He didn't want to remember when she tried to call him and to find that his phone was disconnected. He really wanted to forget how Julia broke up with him but said it wasn't forever. Jack especially didn't want to her about Julia's new boyfriend and her new life in Arizona.

"She wants you to call her, if you have time." Jeremiah finished. Jack was staring determinedly at the carpet beneath his boots.

"I don't have her number." Jack responded immediately.

"Fucking chicken shit, I just told you I got her number. Fucking dumbass."

Jack didn't want to call Julia. He didn't want to hear her voice. It was bad enough that he dreamed of her every night. He didn't want to remember how happy she made him and how sad and hollow his New York experience was. He wished that she would have come with him when he had asked her but... Julia had her own hopes and dreams. As much as she loved him, she couldn't give up her chance at stability. Her life had been so unstable to begin with.

She had always deserved better, he told her that, her step-dad told her that and he was pretty sure all her friends at school told her that too. Julia had never wanted better, she had just wanted him. Now she doesn't want him, not in the way he wants her.

He didn't call her the four days he was in Detroit. He should have called her, to add another memory to watch flash before his eyes as he sat wounded on the brink of execution. Instead his last memory of her was when he drove away and when he looked at her neat cursive writing on that greeting card.


End file.
